Reflection Eternal
by Screaming Siopao
Summary: A feudal era romance between a princess and the son of a warlord. [AU]
1. View of the Ocean

**Siopao:** 4/30/2019 - Woo! A new story! It's been a while since I published something. I've been super busy lately so I haven't had the chance to write (I'm about to graduate with my doctorate in 3 weeks!). I was inspired by some of the otome games that I've been playing (lolol) and, of course, decided to use _Gals!_ characters to fuel my writing. This is quite a different story so I would appreciate all of your feedback!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Gals!,_ its characters, or any otome games.

**Setting: **Feudal era, Japan. If you've watched InuYasha or Samurai Champloo, I would imagine it to be similar to that.

**A few terms:**

_Daimyo:_ warlords who were considered powerful allies of the king/emperor; they owned large amounts of land and protected the royal families.

_Chatelaine:_ woman in charge of taking care of the castle's daily needs; runs errands for the royal family.

_Miko:_ shrine priestess.**  
**

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter I — View of the Ocean**

**By: Screaming Siopao**

Feudal era, Japan— It was a time of constant war between states. Lands were in perpetual divide, with bloodshed staining almost every corner in the nation. Kingdoms battled with one another in order to expand their territories and to seize crops. Only the most powerful warlords and royals were given the opportunity to thrive. In this era, peace was a commodity.

A village named Kanazawa, situated along the East Sea, was quite a curious place, for it had been untouched by war for an entire decade. In this era, accomplishing such a task was quite an impressive feat.

Due to the incomparable quality of the town's goods, Kanazawa had become extremely well-known across the land. Being situated along a rich, bountiful ocean allowed the town to become a popular spot for the finest and freshest fish and other forms of seafood. However, the lush town primarily profited from shipping out its most valuable staple, which was tamahagane, also known by the people as "jewel steel."

Tamahagane was a precious metal produced by the most skilled craftsmen, only from the village's purest iron sand. This material was then formed into the finest weaponry fit for the higher class nobles, militaries, and warlords. Over the last century, the famous tamahagane made Kanazawa one of the wealthiest villages in the region. Other villages were not so lucky when it came to wealth and bounty; in fact, many towns outside of Kanazawa were poor and barren due to war.

Kanazawa was one of the lands exempted from war during this time of turmoil, for many reasons:

One— other nations needed the tamahagane during this time of war and did not dare quarrel with the town that provided it so abundantly.

Two— other nations' blades stood no chance against the ones forged by Kanazawa's specialized sword makers. Even though the village freely shared its tamahagane, only Kanazawa's well-kept secret art of forging was able to maximize the true potential of the jewel steel, making the town the sole owners of perfect, unblemished, and flawless weaponry.

Three— the village was protected by a powerful daimyo lineage that was known for being ruthless and skilled in battle. Going up against Kanazawa's daimyo was like asking for a death wish. No other warlords stood a fraction of a chance, and those who dared to challenge the daimyo did not live to tell the tale.

In the village's luxurious castle, unscathed by the violence that surrounded it, a bored princess walked through the vast halls, causing her casual lilac kimono to sway to-and-fro. She looked out of the window, blinking at the sun's bright rays, and sighed melodramatically.

"Another uneventful day in this village," she groaned with bored tone.

Outside the window, she stared at the vast sea and the people bustling on the docks, loading up their shipments of unforged tamahagane to send out to other nations. The spring air and sea breeze tousled her dark tresses, causing a tickling sensation on her fair cheeks.

"Shall we spend the day at Toyama?" her best friend, who was the daughter of the castle's chatelaine, asked. "I can go ask the horses to be prepared for the journey, your highness."

"You know how I feel when you call me your highness, Miyuu. I told you it wasn't funny," the princess huffed, blowing her ebony bangs away from her fair face. She defiantly crossed her arms across her chest as she rolled her eyes at her giggling companion.

"Aya, I'm just trying to lighten the mood. You've been so restless, lately," Miyuu commented as she leaned on the window sill that the princess was currently staring out of. "Come on, let's go visit Princess Mami over in Toyama. She's always fun to be around. Plus, I'm sure we could catch Prince Akihito around, too."

At the mention of Akihito, Aya's ivory skin turned the slightest shade of scarlet. She could not help but imagine the prince's long, sleek black hair and mesmerizing golden eyes. She tried to hide her blush by turning her head but Miyuu was an ever-observant girl.

"I- I don't want to visit them," Aya stammered, heat gracing her fair cheeks. "Also, you know mother forbids me from riding the horses. She thinks I'll have an accident and crack my skull, that worry wart."

"Oh, suddenly you're all shy because I mentioned Prince Akihito's name? Was it because of that meeting that both your and his parents set up last week?" the blonde girl teased. "By the way, your mother would let you take the horses to see Prince Akihito. He's their future son, after all."

Aya remembered the meeting that her father and mother set up in the castle's royal chambers just one week ago. Both of her parents were there, along with Akihito and his parents. It was a very formal and straightforward meeting; she barely even had the chance to speak. It was decided that the two were to be married on Aya's eighteenth birthday, just a few short months away at the end of the summer. She shuddered at the thought. She absolutely wasn't ready to be a bride. She had never even been in a relationship, before!

"My parents are crazy if they think that they can just set me and Aki up to be wedded. I mean… he and I basically grew up together, since Mami and I have been friends since birth. He's more like my big brother, or something," Aya tried to explain as she continued to look out of one of the high towers' windows. The bustling people in the town below looked like miniscule ants to her.

"Then why are you blushing?" Miyuu teased, poking the princess' cheek.

"Stop! It's just really hot today, okay?" Aya groaned as she turned away from her friend even more.

Okay, truthfully, she found Akihito to be quite attractive. He was a few years older and always looked out for her; she simply did not want to ruin their current easygoing relationship by slapping the heavy label of marriage on it. Things just wouldn't be the same.

Below, she watched the crashing of the blue waves onto the large, rocky cliffs. Further off, the ports were busy as boats left the harbor to deliver tamahagane to distant lands. Demand had been quite high due to the increasing commonality of war. Aya wondered what it would be like to travel to places on the other side of the country. Suddenly, she felt like a caged bird; like a soul who was born into the wrong life. She knew she should feel lucky, being born into a royal family and all, but she just could not shake the feeling that her life was missing an important aspect. She hated feeling so trapped within these castle walls.

Alright, technically, she wasn't really trapped in Kanazawa castle. Even as a child, she would go into the town almost every single day to try and make the day go by quicker. However, even that had grown to be a bit boring and redundant to Aya. She would see the same faces, do the same things, greet the same people. Heck, the entire town knew Aya to be the only princess in Kanazawa history that would wander the streets for hours, just gracing them with her lively and curious presence. She loved her village and the people in it but she wanted to see something fresh and new.

"Akihito is a prince and you're the princess of the ally village. Of course it's meant to be," Miyuu swooned. "He's handsome, tall, a great swordsman, and is obviously very interested in you… what else do you need?"

"It just doesn't feel right," Aya said. "Marriage for royalty is purely political. And plus, I didn't ask to be a princess. I've lived in Kanazawa all my life. Visiting Mami and Aki over in Toyama isn't enough, anymore, either."

"Aya, what are you saying?"

"Haven't you ever wanted to leave this castle, Miyuu? There's a whole world out there. This town, this fortress, this life… it's getting dull."

"My mother is the chatelaine, and her duty is to ensure that the castle's daily tasks are in order. I'm training under her so that someday, I can be the chatelaine, too. So you know I can't leave. I have to make sure that I'm here for whenever I'm needed," Miyuu reminded her wanderlust best friend.

"You don't have to follow your mother's footsteps. You have a choice, I don't."

"But I want to. Don't you see? Five years ago, the Hoshino royalties gave me and mother a place to belong after my father was killed in battle. In a time of turmoil, we found safety. When we had nothing, we found a home. And, for the first time... I found a best friend," Miyuu delicately spoke, her chestnut eyes softening at the last sentiment.

"Oh, Miyuu," the princess whispered as she took her best friend's hand. "I don't mean to sound like a spoiled brat. I'm happy to be here with you, I truly am. I love my parents and I love Kanazawa but… It's just, I know there's something else out there waiting for me. The world is so vast; I want to experience it all."

"It's violent and scary out there, Aya. I've seen it with my very eyes. You wouldn't want to see it, trust me," Miyuu said, referring to her traumatizing childhood spent outside of Kanazawa.

"I just can't help thinking that I'm missing out on life. I know it's dangerous and I know war is everywhere but I can't help what I feel."

"I understand. It's just—" suddenly, Miyuu stopped mid-sentence, her eyebrows furrowing as she stared off into the distance.

"Hm? Miyuu, what's wrong?" Aya chirped when she noticed her best friend's distracted gaze.

"Aya, look," the blonde girl said as she pointed towards something in the distance. "Over on the other end of the town, past the hills. There's smoke."

"That's… towards the mountains, isn't it? And there are also boats down there, too. On the southern border's docks." Aya intently eyed the smoke stack rising above the forest trees.

"Looks pretty serious, even from here. I'll go inform somebody to go and— hey, Aya!" Miyuu said as Aya zipped right past her.

"I'm going to go check it out! Go tell the commander about it, 'kay?" Aya shouted as she briskly ran through the halls and hurried towards the stairway. Miyuu frantically flailed her dainty arms in a panic.

"W- Wait! The commander?!" Miyuu blushed profusely.

"Yeah! I'm sure Yamato-san would love to see you, anyway!" Aya replied hastily as she sprinted down the flight of stairs. In a moment, she was already gone.

"That princess," Miyuu huffed frustratedly. "She springs onto any bit of action she can get in this village."

Outside, Aya ran through the castle gates and out into the town. As she ran through the downtown area, the townspeople greeted the princess with kindly gestures and bows. However, she had no time to put on her usual composed and graceful face for the public. She was too busy scanning the roads for a familiar face.

"Hey, Aya!" a familiar voice shouted. The princess spun around to face the person she was looking for. "You in a rush or something?"

"Ran! There you are!" the princess exclaimed as she saw a copper-haired miko in a white haori and red hakama. She must have just finished with some prayers in the nearby shrine, Aya thought.

"What are you doing out here, running around in your pretty lilac kimono? You're going to scruff it up," Ran said. Ran was the village miko, or priestess, and also happened to be one of Aya's best friends, along with Miyuu and Mami. The two met while undergoing archery lessons while they were children.

"There's something strange going on at the southern border of the town. I think there's a fire at the docks down there. Can I borrow your horse?" Aya desperately asked. "You know the castle horses are off-limits for me."

"Of course but I'm coming with you! The queen would kill me if anything happened to you," Ran stated as she ran off to retrieve her brown stallion drinking from the nearby freshwater brook. She swiftly mounted the horse and galloped towards where Aya stood, offering a hand to her friend. "Climb up!"

"Thanks!" Aya spoke as she took her friend's outstretched hand. Quickly, she sat behind Ran and clutched onto her for stability. "It looked pretty serious from the watchtower. Let's go see what's going on."

"Shouldn't we be letting the town guards and soldiers handle this?" Ran said as she ordered her horse to run towards the southern docks. "I mean, it could be dangerous. Even with my arrows, I don't think I can fend off a daimyo, if one happened to be waiting for us."

"Sounding less confident than usual, Ran. Didn't you always used to boast that you were a hundred times better at shooting than I was?" Aya scoffed. "Or maybe that was all talk, after all."

"Oh, shut it, princess. I could shoot arrows around you all day," Ran bragged.

"That's the priestess I know. And, don't worry, I've already asked Miyuu to go inform your brother to send his men. Let's get a head start; the guards will meet up with us soon."

"Let's hope that we can count on that bonehead brother of mine. Still can't believe he got the Commander position," Ran stated as she tightly clung onto her horse's reins.

"Yamato-san is very brilliant and extremely skilled in battle. He was the top in his class, so it's only right that father appointed him Commander of the military. Plus, I think Miyuu's taken quite a liking to him," Aya giggled.

"Poor girl," Ran said, shaking her head.

Within a few more minutes of fast-paced riding, both Ran and Miyuu arrived to the southern docks of Kanazawa. After tying up the horse at a safe location, the two curious girls hid behind some shrubbery to see what all the commotion was about. In the distance, they heard loud shouting of unfamiliar men. The source of smoke was a large boat, which had burst into flames and was currently on its way to sinking into the sea salt ocean.

"That's… Ogata-san's boat!" Aya heatedly whispered as she recognized its shape and design. "Where is he? Is he safe?" she frantically said as she scanned the region for the old man. On the sandy beach, there were four burly men clad in forest green armor. Aya furrowed her eyebrows; she had never seen these soldiers before.

"Look, on the dock! Ogata-san is kneeling there, watching his boat sink," Ran pointed out quietly. "Damn it, looks like those bastards in the green stole his shipment of tamahagane, too." Without a doubt, there was a large pile of the jewel steel on the sand that had yet to be forged into weapons.

"Ah, one of the men is approaching Ogata-san," Aya observed. She had a terrible feeling brewing in her stomach.

"Old man, we'll be taking this shipment from you," the leader of the group said in a low, taunting tone. He had an emblem engraved onto his armor; it looked like a five-petal cherry blossom flower, from what Aya could see.

"Please, you've already taken the tamahagane. You've even taken my boat, my only source of livelihood. Please, just spare my life," Ogata softly asked as he humbly bowed his head.

"Yeah? Why don't you beg a little more? I want to see some tears," the tall man clad in green armor scoffed. "Or do you not value your life that much?" he continued on as he raised his blade to strike the bowing sailor.

"Ogata-san!" Aya gasped as she got up from the bushes and rushed onto the sandy beach. She couldn't bear to just sit there and watch; after all, Ogata-san had always been kind to her whenever she visited the town; he often shared treats and gifts that he happened to pick up from other distant lands. Some of her favorite reference scrolls and books were souvenirs from his travels. She always looked forward to his returns, ever since she was a small child.

"W- Wait, Aya!" Ran yelped as she suddenly saw Aya bolting through the sand and towards the docks. "What the hell?! Mouu, why me? The queen's going to have my head," Ran complained as she sharply readied her bow and swiftly removed an arrow from the quiver on her back. Like the rest of the swords in Kanazawa, Ran's arrowheads were reinforced with the purest and strongest form of tamahagane. "If I can pull this off, that princess owes me."

"Stop!" Aya yelled loudly as she knelt in front of the old man Ogata, shielding him from the towering man.

"P- Princess!" Ogata said as he looked up, stunned. "What are you— You shouldn't be here, princess!"

"This isn't right, Ogata-san! These men are stealing from you! They're stealing from Kanazawa!" Aya boldly stated. She then shifted her eyes towards the tall man before her, who had now lowered his razor sharp blade and was eyeing her intently. "This means you're also stealing from the Hoshino royals. I won't stand for this!"

"Oh? And what do we have here... A little mouse?" the man droned on in his low voice. Aya saw the malice in his dark eyes. They were the eyes of the devil. "What are you going to do, princess?"

"I—" she started, but then an arrow quickly zipped past the man's face, grazing the skin on his rugged cheek. The arrow landed in the water, sinking along with the boat.

"What—" he said as he quickly spun around. "She brought reinforcements?"

"Damn it, I just missed," Ran cursed from within the bushes. "Aya, get out of there," she whispered hoarsely as she struggled to ready another arrow. This was the first time she ever had to use her archery during a real-life moment of peril and her nerves did not allow her hands to remain as steady as she would have liked.

"You little brat," the soldier said as he turned back towards Aya and Ogata, who were still kneeling on the dock. Aya still held the same look of resolve on her face, despite being unarmed. "I'll be sure to deliver your pretty little head back to your cowardly mother and father. This marks the end of Kanazawa's peaceful decade," he said as he raised his sword to strike one last time.

Aya shut her eyes tightly, anticipating a strong blow at any moment.

"Not so fast," another deep voice said as he stepped in front of Aya. She heard the clashing of blades and shuddered at the shrill, high-pitched ringing that always reminded her of death and war.

"Y- Yamato-san!" Aya exclaimed as she recognized her savior. "Miyuu got to you just in time!"

"Alright! Good going, bro!" Ran whispered from within the shrubbery. "I mean, I wasn't going to miss the next shot but I'm glad he made it out here, anyway," she sighed with relief.

"Princess Aya! Old man! Get out of here, now," Yamato commanded. Another dozen of Yamato's men had already seized the other soldiers in green and made sure that they did not haul back any of the steel. Aya quickly helped Ogata stand and they ran off towards the sandy beach, where more castle soldiers were waiting for them.

"Commander of the royal miliary," the soldier in green grunted. There was a menacing grin on his frightening face. "Nice of you to join us."

"We've got you outnumbered. Surrender now or prepare for a battle," Yamato confidently declared, his sword still clashing against the enemy's. The keen commander did not fail to notice the strikingly familiar emblem on the strange man's armor.

"You won't see the last of us," the man darkly said as he stepped back in retreat. "In fact, tell your king that this is only the beginning. Tell him to prepare his best soldiers for our next encounter."

In a swift motion, before Yamato could even reply, the dark soldier and his other three men had quickly retreated into the dark forest that lead into the mysterious mountains.

The Kanazawa soldiers were about to pursue the perpetrators when Yamato signaled for them to fall back.

"No, leave them. We don't have enough men in case they lead us to an ambush. Our priority right now is to protect the king and queen," Yamato stated as he glared at the shrubbery within the mountains that the green-clad strangers had just run into.

"Aya! Are you alright?" Ran shouted as she left the safety of the bushes and bolted onto the sand. "You almost gave me a heart attack! You big, stupid, idiot princess!" Only Ran could get away with speaking to royalty in this manner.

"What? Ran!" Yamato exclaimed, a vein popping in his forehead. "You're here, too? I knew I smelled trouble!"

"It's not her fault!" Aya defended. "I asked her to take me here! So please don't scold her, Commander."

"You nearly got yourself killed, princess," Yamato said in a low tone, calming down a bit. He was a very mature, level-headed man and was just glad that no one was injured. And as much as he thought his little sister was an annoyance, he was relieved to find her safe, along with the princess.

"I just couldn't sit there and watch. Ogata-san almost got hurt! Those cruel men were trying to steal his tamahagane and even burned down his boat. That man was about to strike him with his sword!" Aya explained. By now, the said boat had already sunk deep into the ocean. Aya made a mental note to make sure that it was properly replaced.

"And that could have been you that he struck, instead, princess," the old man Ogata softly spoke, his head bowed lowly. He sobbed gruffly, shaking his head. "My lowly life is not worth your sacrifice."

"Ogata-san, don't say that," Aya said sadly as she held his withered hand. He was like family to her.

"Someday, you will rule over Kanazawa and lead its people with your grace and wisdom. Please promise that you will not be brash or careless with your life like that ever again. You've only got one chance at life; it's something that's precious which you can never get back," Ogata solemnly spoke, leaving Aya speechless as she looked at the sand beneath her feet.

She had never thought about losing her life before; she simply acted on impulse, wanting to save someone else's, not realizing that she had directly endangered her own. She thought about Ogata's words: life is precious.

Ever since she was born, war and death surrounded her; it's all she had ever known, all she ever heard about. Warlords constantly fell in battle and soldiers always perished during their sworn duty to protect and serve— it's just something she knew to be true, like a fact from a book. Within the castle walls, she was immune to the war that plagued other surrounding nations. She had been so jaded with the idea of death that she did not even realize that it could someday be a reality that affected her, too. Life was something you could never get back.

"Right. Ogata-san, I need to interrogate you for the report. Princess, I'm sorry, but I need to tell the king and queen about this entire incident— including your involvement," Yamato said, interrupting her thoughts.

"But— I—" she stammered in attempts to bargain but then sighed in defeat. "Yes, I understand."

"I'm sorry but… there's no way I can cover up something this big," Yamato explained as he placed a hand on her dainty shoulder. "Please be more careful, princess. You've got a lot of people looking out for you. Miyuu was very worried when she approached me earlier."

"I'm sorry, Yamato-san," Aya apologized in a heartfelt manner as she bowed lowly.

"Just go home. _Both_ of you," Yamato scolded two younger girls before him as he rubbed the area between his eyes. "I swear, sometimes I feel like a babysitter rather than a military commander."

o0o0o0o

Later that evening, after she had received a major scolding from her mother— the worst one to date— Aya could not help but still meddle in the whole ordeal with the strange, green-clad soldiers. She found herself wanting to be more immersed in the situation, no matter how dangerous it ended up being. After today's incident, she felt as if she had an obligation to protect her people.

She sneakily stood outside of the briefing room, where Yamato was currently giving a full report to the king, the queen, and their council. She was never allowed into those meetings, even though she had begged her father numerous times, trying to convince him that she was mature enough to take part in the decisions made in Kanazawa. Alas, like in previous occasions, she had to remain outside the doors and listen in on the conversations in secret.

"Are you absolutely sure that's what you saw, commander?" Aya heard her father ask.

"Yes, sir," Yamato's voice echoed from the other side of the large, sliding door. "I'm positive. He wore the five-petal cherry blossom emblem on his right arm."

"Then, the reports from the surrounding regions are true," the king's voice followed. "The Katase clan's soldiers really have made it this far into our province."

"Yes, sir, it seems like it," Yamato responded. "The encounter today was most-likely just a warning. He sent just a few of his soldiers but I did not see their daimyo in the region when we scoured the immediate area."

"They must have a secret fortress nearby," Aya heard her father murmur. "It might even be in the southern region's mountains. There's so much unexplored land there, it would take weeks to find them."

"We'll send men out to the mountains at dawn. We will also take action to scour the town for any spies," Yamato said.

"Very well. Thank you commander," the king said. "You've done well. And thank you for bringing my daughter home safely. I don't know what I'm going to do with that girl…"

"Despite the carelessness in her actions, your majesty, the princess was undoubtedly brave," Yamato declared. This caused a bit of a smug smile to grace Aya's lips.

"She's a foolish girl," Aya heard her mother say, instantly wiping the smile off her face. "But I'm just glad no one was harmed. She would do anything for these townspeople, that girl. Who knew she'd even risk her own life?"

"Aya! There you are!" Miyuu said as she ran down the hall and approached the princess frantically. "I've been looking for you all night. You had everyone worried! Your mother was—"

"Shh, Miyuu! My father and Yamato are in there discussing what we're going to do, next," Aya shushed her friend as she placed her index finger over her lips.

"Spying again? You really don't change," Miyuu said, rolling her eyes. Nonetheless, she couldn't help but join in on the eavesdropping. It was one of their pastimes in this castle. The two girls listened on, each placing an ear against the sliding door.

"Your highness," Yamato continued, "I know that our military and guards are highly trained. However, we need to ensure that the tamahagane, farms, docks, and villagers remain safe. Shall we ask the Honda royalties for assistance?"

"No, they've already got a lot to deal with over there in Toyama, what with their troops still recovering from a recent raid. Plus, the Katase clan is not to be taken lightly... so we also we need to take larger measures."

"Then, sir, do you mean…?" Yamato asked, his voice trailing off. There was a long period of silence in the room before anyone spoke again.

"Precisely," the king stated. "After a decade of peace here in Kanazawa, we finally need to call on the presence of the Otohata daimyo."

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter I — View of the Ocean — End.**

**Siopao:** I would appreciate your thoughts! I know this is not the normal _Gals!_ fic but please let me know what you think!


	2. A Curious Meeting

**Siopao:** 7/3/2019 - Not much feedback from my first chapter. I'll continue if anyone wants to keep reading.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Gals!_

**Setting: **Feudal era, Japan. If you've watched InuYasha or Samurai Champloo, I would imagine it to be similar to that.

**A few terms:**

_Daimyo:_ warlords who were considered powerful allies of the king/emperor; they owned large amounts of land and protected the royal families.

_Chatelaine:_ woman in charge of taking care of the castle's daily needs; runs errands for the royal family.

_Miko:_ shrine priestess.**  
**

**Recap, in case you didn't want to re-read chapter one!:** Aya is a princess of a powerful land called Kanazawa. The town's main export is _tamahagane_, a pure form of steel that is most formidable in combat. The years have been plagued with war across the land, except for Kanazawa - that is, until a dark clan attacks and raids one of the town boats for their _tamahagane_. The king must now call on the help of the ruthless warlord to protect their town from ruins.

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter II — A Curious Meeting**

**By: Screaming Siopao**

The day following the incident on the southern docks was unlike no other. The air felt different, as if there was a certain kind of business that needed to be dealt with. Guards were more alert and the military soldiers were ever-exuberant in their training. Castle workers and attendants were bustling more than usual, ensuring that the king and queen were comfortable. It was no longer just an ordinary, spring day in Kanazawa. It was a day that would shift the history of the village. Their decade of peace was finally over.

Once more, Aya was eavesdropping in on one of her father's meetings. This time was different, however, for new faces came to the castle early at dawn, which rarely ever occurred. She speculated that those newcomers were also inside the meeting hall.

She was only able to spot the newcomers from a far distance as they entered through the front gates of the castle, so all she could gather was that the guests were three men clad in royal blue kimonos. Who were these mysterious men? Aya had a feeling that they had something to do with the defense against the Katase clan's forces.

"Aya, you really need to quit it with this bad habit of yours," Miyuu judged as she found her best friend's ear pressed up against a sliding door. The chatelaine-in-training was currently helping her mother with errands around the castle. Finding Aya like this was a pretty common sight.

"There are new faces this time so I couldn't possibly pass up this opportunity. Yamato-san is in there, too, I can hear his voice," Aya pointed out.

"Oh, in that case, move over," Miyuu chirped as she joined her friend, eager to listen in on the military commander.

"Wait, I think there's a little crack over here. We can peek inside and see who they are," Aya said excitedly as she found a tiny sliver in the doorway.

"Really? Let me see! I hope Yamato-san is wearing his silver kimono. It looks best on him," Miyuu mused.

"Stop shoving, Miyuu, you're stepping on my kimono," Aya gruffly whispered as she tugged on the deep violet cloth that covered her legs.

"Well maybe you shouldn't hog up all of the space," the blonde lass snapped back.

"Just give me a second, will you? I can't get a good glimpse of them," the brunette hissed back. "This meeting hall is so large, I think they're all on the other side of the room. I'm just trying to—"

Suddenly, the door in front of them slid open, causing both Aya and Miyuu to lurch forward into the room.

"You were just trying to do _what_ exactly? Hm, Aya?" a familiarly low voice greeted her as she stared down at the floor in panic. "I knew I heard voices on the other side of the door."

"Father! I- I- was just, er, passing through, when, uh, y- you see," Aya stammered nervously, meeting her father's usually jolly face. Right now, he was wearing an expression that seemed quite serious and even a tad bit annoyed. She really must have disrupted something important.

"I'm sorry, your highness," Miyuu gracefully stated, suddenly interjecting in attempts to save her friend. "The Princess and I just happened to have a little quarrel just outside these doors. Apologies for interrupting your very important meeting," the blonde girl said as she bowed lowly.

"Miss Miyuu," the king spoke, his facial expression softening up a bit, "Actually, this is perfect timing. Would it be too much of a bother to prepare some tea for our guests?"

"Not at all, your highness. I'll be sure to steep the finest leaves in the castle," Miyuu complied, cutely clapping her hands together. Towards the back of the room, in the far corner, she did not seem to notice the young commander admiring her adorable mannerisms. "Please excuse me, then. I will return shortly."

"My, is that really the princess?" an unfamiliar male voice echoed from behind the king. Aya had been so nervous about being caught eavesdropping that she had totally forgotten that her objective was to see who the three esteemed guests were.

She curiously peered behind her father's figure and saw the older man that had just spoken. Did he know who she was? She never recalled meeting him before. Although, he did seem a bit familiar...

"Ah, yes," the king said as he spun around and scratched his head in an apologetic manner. "This is Aya, my one and only daughter."

"Princess, what a lovely surprise. It's good to see you again," the elder man said, approaching her jubilantly. "You probably do not recall who I am. I met you well over a decade ago, just when you were a small girl."

"Aya, this is daimyo Gin, head of the Otohata clan," the king introduced.

At the introduction, Aya's eyes instantly lit up. This person really was the infamous warlord Gin! She vaguely remembered meeting him over ten years ago, back when he was needed to protect the castle during a raid. This man was notoriously ruthless back in his prime. It was difficult to believe that now, since he was smiling so joyfully at the moment. He had grown a few gray hairs on his head and mustache. Not to mention, he also had crows' feet at the edge of his smiling eyes. One thing that definitely stood out was a huge linear scar that ran across his entire face, from the edge of his right brow all the way down to the opposite cheek.

"Excuse my intrusion! Pleased to meet you again, Lord Otohata!" Aya bowed lowly, covering both sides of her face with her long, ebony tresses. She suddenly felt as if she bit off more than she could chew. Barging into a meeting that involved the daimyo certainly seemed bold.

"Please, raise your head. The pleasure is mine, princess," warlord Gin spoke. "You have grown to be such a beautiful young lady."

"Ah, t- thank you," she stammered, suddenly feeling quite shy. Despite his reputation, she was pleased to find that he was more easy-going than he appeared.

"Which reminds me, my son is probably about the same age as you," the warlord recalled. Aya's eyes lit up once more, for she did not even know that the warlord had a son. It had never been mentioned to her before and she never read his name in the history scrolls of Kanazawa library.

The two other guests who arrived with the warlord had been so engrossed in tactical conversation with Yamato that they had not even noticed Aya's entry. The warlord called the two over in order to introduce them to the princess.

Aya did not know what to expect but she certainly was not anticipating to see the coldest, most piercing grey eyes that she'd ever encountered in her entire life. They were like icy daggers, but not in a menacing or intimidating way. They were mesmerizing and she felt like she was drowning in a pool of liquid mercury. They were eyes that spoke a story without a single word ever being uttered.

"Princess Aya, this is my son and sole successor, Rei. With us today is Rei's vassal and expert tactician, Asou Yuuya," warlord Gin introduced.

"Pleased to meet you, princess Aya. Thank you for gracing us with your presence," the corn blonde boy named Yuuya bowed humbly. Aya took a side note that this guy was definitely very polite and formal.

"Likewise, Asou-san," Aya bowed back subtly. She could not get her eyes off of Rei's; it was as if both of their gazes were in a permanent lock.

"Princess," the raven-haired boy curtly nodded as he said his brisk greeting. He then broke their gaze and looked off to the side. Somehow, Aya felt a bit saddened as he turned away.

"You'll have to excuse Rei. He doesn't say much," the warlord explained, laughing heartily. "He's been traveling up and down the coasts for several years now, fighting battles in the name of the Otohata lineage while trying to expand our boundaries. I summoned him as soon as I got your message about the Katase forces. Luckily, there were in a nearby village and could make it on such short notice."

The meeting continued on once Miyuu returned back with the tea. Somehow, by a miracle, Aya convinced her father to allow her to stay for the remainder of the time. Warlord Gin played a huge part, saying that it would be good for her as a future leader to sit in on the tactics.

The meeting dragged on for several hours that day, with only a short break in order to fit in a quick meal. Aya learned of their strategies to try and locate the enemy fortress while still being able to protect Kanazawa, its goods, and its people. A majority of terms were very technical and Aya didn't quite understand them fully but she was able to use enough context clues to figure out what was going on, thanks to countless hours reading reference scrolls in the castle library.

On more than one occasion, she met the son of the warlord's gaze— he was alluring for some strange reason that she could not shake off. That mysterious son of the warlord was unlike anyone she had ever met before. It was as if he was tame but also wild at the same time. Aya wondered what kind of things he'd seen outside this village. She was sure that he'd experienced so much, fought many battles, seen a lot of interesting things, been with a lot of women…

"Ack! What am I thinking? This isn't the time for such distracting thoughts," Aya said to herself as she shook away images that played in her mind. Although, she did have to admit that she was immensely attracted to the warlord's son. She'd never felt such a natural pull towards another man like this, before.

"Well, that should do it for the day," the king spoke solidly as he sat back from the many diagrams and documents sprawled out on the table.

"We look forward to further expanding the plan," warlord Gin said. "Yuuya is a brilliant tactician and Yamato is a skilled commander. Your men combined with ours will be unmatched. We'll get that bastard Katase in no time."

The meeting was dismissed and Aya got up from her seated position on the floor. Again, her gaze unintentionally danced with Rei's. They broke it off within a fraction of a second but she could not help but feel a skip in her heart's beat.

"Aya," the king spoke, "it's late. Go ready yourself for bed."

"Yes, father," Aya complied. She was a bit saddened to depart from her company but could already feel her lids growing heavy. "Please excuse me, then," she said as she bowed gracefully before her guests. "Please have a pleasant stay at Kanazawa."

They bade their goodbyes until their next meeting in the morning. Aya anxiously longed for it to come. Even though most of the day was spent just sitting around in the same room, she had never felt such exhilaration. Her life was finally starting to have a bit more action.

Rei watched the young princess trail off down the vast halls of the castle, eyeing her long dark hair as it swayed from side to side. Even from the back, she was captivating to him. In spite of himself, Rei couldn't help but feel a small, inconspicuous tug at the corner of his lips.

"Interesting," he silently said to himself.

**o0o0o0o**

In order to keep the daimyo close, the three esteemed guests were given access to a luxury manor in Kanazawa, not too far off from the castle grounds. This way, the king and warlord Gin would be able to execute their plans much more efficiently. This also allowed the Otohata clan's soldiers to better patrol the region for any of the enemy forces.

"That went well, I think," Yuuya said to his dark-haired companion. They were currently sitting outside their manor, under the moonlit sky while the warlord had already retired for the evening within his room. The crashing of the waves was heard in the distance. "Pretty exciting that we get to come back to Kanazawa. We haven't been back since we were children. The air in the seaside is so fresh, huh? So different from our fief."

"Hn," the brooding son of the warlord spoke. His slate eyes were cast towards Kanazawa castle.

"What's wrong? Are you not happy to serve the king?" the corn-haired vassal asked. "Your father seems to really have a close bond with him, like they're old friends."

"They've been friends for decades. Father is a reason why Kanazawa has been untouched by war for an entire decade. His protection over the Hoshino royals is legendary to the other warlords; they know not to start conflict here," Rei blatantly spoke.

"Your father really is the strongest daimyo, after all," Yuuya said in awe.

"No, he _was_. I doubt that still holds true. Haven't you noticed? He isn't in top shape, like he was back then."

"Are you worried?"

"Yuuya, you already know that father wouldn't have called us back if he could do this alone. Even he knows that he isn't at his peak. He's an old man, now."

"Then it's a great time to show him how strong you've gotten during our conquest all throughout Japan. He hasn't seen you in battle for a long time and you've definitely improved since we left a few years ago."

"And we'll be even stronger now that we can get our hands on some of that famous Kanazawa tamahagane. My katanas are strong but the steel kept in this town are top of the line. Imagine how many more warlords we can dominate with a weapon like that."

"Now that we'll be fighting alongside the king, we can get the jewel steel, too," Yuuya mused. "I hear it can cut through diamond."

"Father says we need to earn it, first. Just like how he rightfully earned it from the king years ago."

"Then we'll just have to prove ourselves to him and do our best on these missions," Yuuya said optimistically.

"Sounds like a pain," Rei grunted. "I was having fun doing my own thing. We were so free to do whatever we wanted when we traveled. Now, we have to stick to all these royal strategies. Everything's so… by the book."

"Don't be like that, Rei. Plus, commander Yamato seems like a great ally. He really knows his stuff. Even I never thought of the things he brought up today."

"He's fine, I guess," Rei said apathetically as he looked up at the stars. He couldn't recall the last time he just sat still to look up at the sky.

"Not to mention, the princess is very pretty, isn't she?" Yuuya teased as he knowingly struck a chord.

Not only was Yuuya Rei's tactician and right hand man, but he was also his best friend. After all, Yuuya's father was also the vassal to warlord Gin, back when he was still alive. The two young men basically grew up as brothers; they were extremely close, no matter how much Rei would deny it.

"She's… alright," Rei muttered in an uninterested tone. Yet, Yuuya did not fail to notice the slight glimmer in his companion's dark eyes at the mention of the princess.

"Oh, stop trying to be cool, Rei. You two couldn't take your eyes off each other," Yuuya pointed out. "It was totally obvious."

"I'm not really in the mood to be lectured, here," Rei droned on.

"Just admit you're attracted to the princess," Yuuya said, elbowing Rei's side.

"I will not. Even if I was, she's the princess. That's a messy situation that I don't intend on getting involved with."

"This isn't about _her_, is it ? Rei, it's been a year, now. You need to get over—"

"This isn't about her. And don't you _dare_ even say her name."

"Right, I'm sorry, I know what she did to you was terrible but—"

"Plus, I have no time for romance," Rei spoke truthfully.

"Ah, well I guess you've got a point there. You're right; we need to focus on this mission and capture that bastard Katase."

"That guy… he's definitely getting revenge for when my father killed his. Father says it happened years ago, when Katase was only a small child. He's probably been training his whole life for this moment."

"We won't let him have his revenge," Yuuya said in a determined voice.

"He's striking now because he thinks father is weak and old. But he's in for a rude awakening once he crosses paths with me. He'll regret ever setting foot in Otohata territory," Rei said with a mischievous smirk on his face.

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter II — A Curious Meeting — End.**

**Siopao:** I would appreciate your thoughts! Please review.


	3. An Ally in War, A Rival in Love

**Siopao:** 7/31/2019 - Back with an update! I start a new job soon so forgive me if I can't update as often. Please kindly leave your feedback for inspiration.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Gals!_

**Setting: **Feudal era, Japan. If you've watched InuYasha or Samurai Champloo, I would imagine it to be similar to that.

**A few terms:**

_Daimyo:_ warlords who were considered powerful allies of the king/emperor; they owned large amounts of land and protected the royal families.

_Chatelaine:_ woman in charge of taking care of the castle's daily needs; runs errands for the royal family.

_Miko:_ shrine priestess.**  
**

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter III — ****An Ally in War, A Rival in Love **

**By: Screaming Siopao**

"They're here!" Aya exclaimed as she looked out of her usual watchtower. She had been anxiously waiting all morning for three certain guests to arrive to the castle.

Below, all clad in their royal blue kimono, she could see warlord Gin, his son, and the tactician approaching the castle gates as they arrived from their temporary manor in the town. It was another morning for a war council with the king and commander. Like the other day, Aya was planning on joining in once more.

"Aya, what are you scheming, now?" Miyuu huffed as she eyed the princess.

"I'm joining the council, of course. I want father to see that I can play a vital role in the upcoming plans," Aya simply stated with an eager smile on her face.

"Aya, how can you possibly be a part of the war council? You've never even seen a real battle. You're only seventeen."

"But so is the warlord's son and his tactician," Aya pointed out.

"But they have experience! Real life experience— they've seen war. Heck, they've been through it during their travels. You can tell; look how stoic that son of the warlord is," Miyuu stated.

"I'm involved in this, no matter how you look at it. I saw those men first-hand in the southern docks. They tried to harm a friend, so this is more than personal, now."

"I suppose you're correct but war is no place for a princess. You heard Ogata-san. You need to lead the village, someday."

"I won't be involved in battle, of course. Just the planning. After all, I'm not totally oblivious; you know how many hours I've spent in the castle libraries reading up on history, geography, and military tactics," the princess brought up. "I even read the medicine scrolls so I can be of use with healing injured soldiers, if need be."

Indeed, whenever Aya was not exploring the village and gallivanting with the townspeople, she spent her days in the library with countless pages tucked beneath her curious little eyes. Sometimes, it got to the point that she forgot to eat meals due to how engrossed she was in her studies. As much as the chatelaine in-training would hate to admit it, Aya had a vast array of knowledge. Books and scrolls were probably where her curiosity for the outside world originally stemmed from. The whole village had come to know her as the most intelligent and witty princess in the town's history.

"I know you're eager to show off your knowledge but, Aya, war is dangerous. It's not a game," Miyuu reminded. "It's how my father was taken away from me and… you know," she said sadly, remembering the memory from five years ago, when her father died at war while they were living in another town.

"I'm sorry, Miyuu," Aya said as she tenderly held her best friend's hand. "Please don't be sad. I… I know I may seem like I'm being stubborn or ignorant. But, for once in my life, I really want to do something useful. I finally feel like I have a purpose. I know what I'm up against." Aya looked outside of the vast window before her and into the bustling town below, watching the boats being loaded on the docks and the shops running smoothly like any normal day. "I love this village. I have to protect my people."

"I see," Miyuu sighed. "You have a duty. I just don't want to lose another important person in my life."

"I'll be alright, I promise," Aya whispered. She let go of Miyuu's hand and spun around to walk towards the meeting hall. She took a step forward, but did not take her eyes off of her blonde friend. "I'm going to see if father will let me in on the meeting. I have some pretty good ideas. I'll try to see you— oomph!" Aya had suddenly walked into a solid surface and could not finish her sentence.

"O- Oh! Aya? You okay? You really need to watch your path," a deep voice greeted her as he caught her wrists to keep her from falling back. She looked up; she had just bumped into a broad, hardened chest. She knew that deep voice; her heart thumped erratically for just a moment before she quickly regained her composure.

"A- Aki!" she exclaimed, surprised. She met the neighboring prince's beautiful golden eyes, which also held mild surprise. Today, he was wearing a regal red and white kimono. The upper portion of his ebony hair was tied in a neat bun on top on his head while the lower portion hung freely to his waist. She always did find his long, dark hair to be quite alluring. "W- What are you doing here?"

"I was summoned by your mother," he simply stated. He was still holding onto her wrists, causing her to lightly blush. "Actually, Mami is here, too. She's still probably unloading her things from the carriage. We'll be here for a few days."

"Mother summoned you? For what?" Aya asked, puzzled.

"Ah, w- well," he stuttered as a hint of scarlet grew on his cheek. "She wanted to speak about some details… for, you know, the wedding."

Aya's heart dropped down to her stomach. The commotion of the warlord's arrival had been preoccupying her mind so much for the past few days that Aya had completely forgotten that she was engaged to marry Akihito, Prince of Toyama.

"Aki, that wedding… You really are just going to do what our parents say and go through with it?" she asked softly, her eyes downcast.

"It's to strengthen our land and the bonds between our people," Akihito spoke straightforwardly. "It's purely political, Aya. Don't think too much of it, nothing will change between us. We'll still be like how we are right now."

"How can you be so sure?" she asked, shaking her hold from him.

"Aya, it's me. We've known each other since we were children."

"It just… doesn't feel right," Aya said, clearly distraught. "Marriage is supposed to be for love."

The two fell silent for a few moments, eyes downcast.

"About that, Aya… I- I've been meaning to tell you this. For a while now, I've actually—" Akihito began to say but was cut off by a shrill female voice coming from down the hall. He recognized it to be his little sister's and cursed her for the poor timing.

He wanted to tell her his true feelings but, alas, they would have to wait for a more appropriate time. He sighed as he shook his head in defeat. Miyuu looked on at the situation sadly, already knowing the prince's true feelings long ago. After all, Miyuu was the ever-observant type.

"Aya! Miyuu! Long time no see!" Mami's voice called from the other side of the hall. The two girls peered over and saw a honey-haired princess with a long pink kimono and various golden accessories. She was extremely fashionable, as always.

"Mami!" Miyuu and Aya said at once.

"Am I interrupting anything important? Looks serious over here," Mami said, reading the air between her big brother and fellow princess. Mami was not as observant as Miyuu and did not know her big brother's true feelings towards the Kanazawa princess.

"It's… nothing," Aya said softly as she faked a smile. Her sad eyes said otherwise.

"Yeah, nothing," Akihito repeated, equally in a bummed tone.

"I've— I've got to go. I need to see my father for something important," Aya said as she excused herself. "You two, make yourselves at home, as usual. If mother invited you, then I'm sure that your usual guest suites are already prepared. I'll see you tonight for dinner," she said as she ran off while waving.

"Well, that was quick," Mami said as she watched her friend disappear off into the castle.

"Prince Akihito," Miyuu spoke softly. "Please just give Aya some time. She's in a strange place in her life, right now."

"Yeah. Thanks, Miyuu," he said with a weak smile.

"Huh? What's going on?" Mami asked, oblivious.

"Nothing, don't worry about it," her big brother assured.

"Y- Yes," Miyuu said, trying to help Akihito change the subject. "Let me help you both settle in."

"Oh, where's that Ran, the bone-headed shrine priestess?" Mami asked. "I want to show her some of the new tricks I learned in my archery class. No way I'm losing to her again."

From behind the walls of a nearby corridor, a certain son of the warlord had heard the entire conversation between the princess and the newcomer from the next village. Just last night, he admitted to his blonde companion that he had no interests in Aya. A foreign emotion was welling up inside him at the moment, causing him to second guess his initial feelings. He had never experienced jealousy before, but imagined that this new twinge within him was the closest thing he ever came to feeling it. However, he'd rather die before ever verbalizing it to anyone.

**o0o0o0o0o**

"Well, we've been at it for a couple of hours now," the king declared as he sat back from the array of scrolls spread out before him. "This seems like a good place for a break."

"I agree," warlord Gin spoke as he rubbed the space between his eyes. "Maybe some tea?"

"I'll see if someone can prepare it for us," the king spoke thoughtfully. "Say, Yamato, why don't you try and fetch Miyuu to see if she's available? The way she prepares the leaves is magnificent, wouldn't you agree?"

"Ah, yes, your majesty" Yamato agreed with a slight hint of red on his cheeks.

"She'd make a fine wife to a lucky man someday," the king laughed as he nudged the commander.

"S- Sir?" Yamato stammered, clueless as to what the king was hinting.

"Nothing, nothing. Please do find Miyuu," the king brushed off the banter.

"Yes, at once." And, with that, Yamato had left the meeting hall through the sliding doors.

"I don't want tea. I'm stepping outside for a bit," Rei spoke as he slowly stood from his place at the meeting table.

"Yes, get some fresh air. Aya, show Rei the courtyard," her father directed her.

"Ah— yes," Aya said as she slowly stood from her seat at the table.

"That isn't necessary," Rei spoke softly. "I can try to find it on my own."

"I- I don't mind," she bashfully replied. Rei cursed under his breath, finding the pink blush gracing the princess's pale cheeks to be the slightest bit alluring.

"Hn. Okay," he grunted. Yuuya smiled from where he sat as he looked on at his friend, who was acting as blunt as usual in order to hide his true underlying feelings.

"Go on without me, Rei. There's a few things I wanted to look over," the corn-haired tactician said as he picked up some scrolls.

"Suit yourself," the son of the warlord replied to his friend.

"It's this way," Aya softly pointed out as she slid open one of the large wooden doors.

The two walked down the halls in silence as they headed over to the castle courtyard. Rei had already been on the castle grounds a few times by this point but this was the first time that he was ever alone with the princess. Somehow, he found her to be quite timid, while also carrying a poised and graceful aura.

"The estate's courtyard is one of my favorite places in the whole castle," she suddenly spoke, albeit rather softly.

"Is there a reason?" he responded, still looking ahead.

"Well, there's a large koi pond. I always loved feeding them when I was young. I would read under the large willow tree in the summertime, as well. And the way the full moon shines on the water… it's just relaxing, I suppose. Ah, sorry, I'm saying too much," she replied timidly with a small blush.

"I see," he stated. He caught a quick glimpse of her pink cheeks and somehow felt a strange feeling stirring up within him. He found her expression to be quite cute, in spite of him.

They arrived within a few moments and Rei scanned the spacious courtyard; it was the largest one he had ever seen and it was no surprise, since the Kanazawa castle was one of the wealthiest in the surrounding region. There was an elegant rock garden on one side, while well-kept trees of different sizes were scattered throughout the space. Right now, the cherry blossoms were just beginning to bloom, with their pink buds barely visible. And, of course, the mentioned koi pond was in the center of it all. Everything about the castle was lux and state of the art, including its gardens.

"Why do you insist on joining in on our war councils, princess?" Rei suddenly asked as he took a seat and admired the garden. It was nice to get some fresh air after being in a stuffy room all morning. Nearby, you could hear the crashing of the waves on the shore.

"Eh?" Aya was caught off-guard by the question.

"It's just, you're royalty. There are other things that I'm sure are worth more of your time." The conversation he overheard earlier played in his head. _"For example, your wedding,"_ he wanted to say but decided to keep to himself.

"I genuinely enjoy being included in the council. I'm going to be replacing my father someday as ruler and need to know all it takes to run Kanazawa. Plus, I think I have a few ideas to contribute to the plans," she replied, taking a seat a meter beside him.

"This village has been peaceful up until now. Are you sure you know what you're getting yourself into by involving yourself in war?" he asked, his face stoic. She took note of his handsome features in the bright sunlight.

"I— I'm prepared. This is to help protect my people, after all," she said. Yet, Rei was able to hear the uncertain waver in her voice.

"It's okay to be scared, Princess," Rei said. "War isn't pretty."

"I'm ready to put my life on the line for my people," she said, more confidence in her tone this time.

"That isn't the princess's job," Rei chuckled, to her astonishment. She looked over and observed his face; it was small and brief but she was able to see his genuine smile. "Isn't that why my father and I are here? Our soldiers are on their way as we speak to execute our plan."

"Yes, well," she cleared her throat as she tried shaking off the initial shock from hearing his laugh and seeing his smile. It almost took her breath away, for reasons she could not figure out. "I appreciate warlord Gin, Asou-san, and you coming to our aide, Otohata-san, but—"

"Ugh. Call me, Rei," he interrupted. "No need for such formality."

"I— But—" she stammered once more, her cheeks scarlet. Calling him by his first name was something she wasn't anticipating.

"Honestly, I prefer it," he urged. "You make me sound so old."

"Then… you must call me Aya," she proposed.

"Now, _that's_ different. I can't just do that; you're _royalty_. My father would probably kill me if he heard me addressing you so informally."

"I don't just want to be associated with being the princess. If you can't call me by my first name, then I will still keep calling you Otohata-san."

"Okay, fine," he said, giving in. "I can't guarantee that the word _'Princess'_ won't occasionally slip out but you've got yourself a deal, Aya." He emphasized her name with a tilted smirk.

Hearing her name coming directly from his lips made her heart jump a bit. Aya bit her lower lip, attempting to suppress a smile.

"A deal it is, Rei-kun," she said. "Will that do?"

"It's fine," he said with a nod.

The two stared onward, not daring to clash gazes. Aya tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear, feeling nervous for some strange reason. Being alone beside Rei like this... It was making her heart race and her face feel warm. She tried to shake the feeling.

"O- On your travels," Aya started, "have you seen… a lot of war outside of Kanazawa?" There was a slight pause. Waves crashed onto the shore, just a short distance away. Fishermen could be heard as they shouted while loading their boats.

"I have," he eventually replied, an emotionless glaze coating in his grey eyes. It was as if her question evoked some old memories.

"And you've… killed people?" she asked reluctantly. Another slight pause. Chimes were heard in the distance.

"Yes," was his simple reply.

"Bloodshed is horrible," Aya spoke candidly as she remembered the terrible men who almost harmed Ogata-san at the southern docks. To no surprise, the princess was a pacifist through and through. "I- I hate violence."

"It's a necessary evil."

"But there are other ways to solve conflict."

"Sometimes, there isn't," Rei bluntly stated, coldness deep in his orbs.

Aya turned away from him, focusing her attention to the koi swimming in the pond. She must have brought up some not-so-pleasant memories by asking Rei those types of questions. Being the son of a warlord, she figured that he would boast about his killings and conquerings; fighting and war was an occupational hazard for him, after all. However, she could detect a hint of regret— maybe even sadness in his eyes at the mention of bloodshed. She felt a bit guilty for bringing it up.

"Yes, well, we should head back to the hall," Aya suggested as she tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. "We wouldn't want to miss the planning."

Rei nodded and got up from his seated position, offering his hand for Aya to take.

"Ah, th-thank you," she stammered, taken aback by his kind gesture. She gladly took his hand as he helped her up.

A short distance away, a dark-haired prince was able to spot a particular glow in the princess that he had never seen before. A wave of envy coursed through his veins and Akihito knew that he needed to let Aya know his feelings soon, unless he wanted to watch his first and only love be swept away by a newcomer.

**o0o0o0o**

"Aya, lift your chin. Straighten your back," her mother sternly commanded.

"Mother, I don't know if my back can be any more straight than this," the fidgety princess replied as she sat on her legs.

"Then you are not trying hard enough. The tea ceremony preceding your wedding is important; you need to look dignified and poised," the Queen instructed.

Aya and Akihito were currently holding a rehearsal for the traditional tea ceremony before they were to be wedded. The ceremony would signify the joining of the two royal families.

"This kimono is too tight," Aya complained as she tugged on her golden sash. "I can't breathe."

Across from her, Akihito chuckled lowly under his breath.

"You are restless today, Aya," he whispered, his golden eyes entertained by the complaining princess.

"I can't help it. I'm stuck here practicing how to sip tea in this tight, itchy kimono when father is holding another war council," Aya pouted, clearly distressed.

"Are you saying you don't want to see me? I barely saw you yesterday, when I arrived," Akihito said as he picked up a cup from the table and took a sip of his piping hot oolong tea. A part of him was teasing Aya while another part of him also was a bit disappointed since it seemed she did not want to spend time with him as much as he wanted to spend it with her.

"Aki, I'm sorry— it's just that this war council is really important to me. I want to show father that I have matured and can handle being involved with Kanazawa's politics," she explained.

"I understand," he spoke lowly. "Warlord Gin and his son are also here, so it must be a big deal."

"Ah, y- yes. It is," she stammered. The young prince did not fail to notice a similar glow on her cheeks that he saw yesterday, when he spotted Aya with Rei in the palace courtyard.

The palace chatelaine, who was also Miyuu's mother, then came through the doors and spoke a few words to the Queen.

"Both of you, stay here and practice again from the top," the Queen spoke. "I must tend to some matters but will return shortly."

"Yes, your highness," Akihito respectfully replied.

"Yeah, fine," Aya droned on in a bored tone. Her mother simply shook her head, already used to her daughter's way of being.

"So, listen, Aya," Akihito spoke as soon as the Queen left the room. He set the tea down in front of him and stared intently at Aya from across the table. "I was wondering… if we could talk."

"We're talking right now, no?" Aya spoke, oblivious.

"I- I mean— about a certain matter. Something I've been meaning to say," he said firmly. Admittedly, Akihito was a bit nervous about confessing his true feelings to Aya. However, after seeing the princess with the son of the warlord yesterday, he did not want to prolong his confession any longer. He wanted her to know how he felt.

"What is it, Aki? Is everything alright?" she asked, concerned.

"Yes, everything is fine."

"Why do you look so serious, then?" Aya asked, noticing Akihito's discomfort. She reached over the small wooden table between them and placed a delicate hand on her companion's forehead. "Are you feeling unwell?"

At her touch, Akihito felt his face warm up. Her face was so close to his and she did not even know what she was doing to him right now. She was ever oblivious, as always, to his true feelings. He took hold of her dainty hand and removed it from his forehead. However, he did not let go of it; he continued to grasp it in his protective hold and looked intently into her chestnut eyes.

"Hm? Aki?" she chirped.

"Aya," he spoke lowly. "I was trying to tell you this yesterday. Actually, I've been wanting to tell you for years, now. I—Ah, have feelings for you."

"Eh? What… what do you mean?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What kind of feelings was he trying to convey?

"Aya, I love you," he confessed in a straightforward and direct manner so that she would comprehend.

"What's this all about? Need a favor, or something?" she giggled. "You know I love you too, Aki."

"No, Aya. You're not understanding," he said as he continued to hold her hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze and took in her familiar warmth. "I'm in love with you. You said marriage should only be reserved for love. I want to marry you because I truly love you."

"What? A- Aki…" she stammered, her face flushed from the confession. She was finally understanding, now. She looked into his golden eyes, which were so soft, gentle, and held genuine feelings at this very moment. She was drowning in liquid gold.

"You don't have to respond right away. I just wanted to let you know that I'm marrying you for the right reasons. Not for our parents. Not for politics. Aya, I… have genuine feelings for you. I've loved you since we were kids."

Aya's heart pounded while hearing all of this straight from his lips. She had always admired Akihito. She always looked up to him, always leaned onto him. He was always so reliable and always felt secure around him. She reminded him of home. Not to mention, there was definitely an undeniable physical attraction to him. And to hear that he had romantic feelings for her… it felt like a dream come true.

She was sure that a large part of her has also been in love with him all this time. However, if that were true, then why did it feel as if her heart was breaking right now?

**o0o0o0o**

"Aya. Earth to Princess Aya!" Miyuu exclaimed, waving a hand in front of her friend's glazed eyes.

"Hm? What?" Aya chirped, jumping in her seat. Her thoughts were interrupted by her friend's voice.

Aya, Miyuu, Ran, and Mami were currently enjoying a picnic lunch in the courtyard under the blooming sakura trees.

"I said, how was your tea ceremony rehearsal this morning?" Miyuu repeated.

"Oh. It was fine," Aya curtly said, not explaining the details of Akihito's confession of love.

"You okay? You seem a bit off," Ran noted as she took a large bite of her pickled plum omusubi.

"Yeah, you've been quiet," Mami also stated as she gracefully took a sip of jasmine tea. "Hands off my dango, Kotobuki, I'm saving that for later."

"I'm fine, it was just a long morning of my mother's usual nagging," Aya tried to shake off so as not to reveal the true reason she was distracted. "I'd much rather participate in the war council."

"But is that really your place, Aya?" Ran asked, stuffing her mouth with mochi.

"What do you mean? I'm the princess of this village," she replied to her priestess friend.

"I mean, I'm the princess of Toyama and I feel as if I wouldn't go the lengths you are," Mami pointed out.

"It's because Aya isn't a spoiled brat, like you," Ran teased.

"Why, you… Agh, stupid Kotobuki, don't eat my omusubi!" Mami exclaimed as she snatched back her food from the hungry miko.

"It's just what I envision myself doing. It's the kind of leader I want to be," Aya spoke, ignoring her two friends' usual quarrelling. "Plus, that council is spearheaded by men. They need a feminine touch in those meetings."

"Aya's been reading up a lot on tactics to keep up," Miyuu stated, remembering that she stayed up late last night to read up on some reference scrolls.

"Not to mention, medicine," Aya pointed out. "It would be optimal if there was no physical battle with swords but I know it isn't possible. I can't help with battle on the field but at least I can train to heal those who have been wounded."

"That's very ambitious of you," Mami applauded.

"I have an apprenticeship with the doctor, starting in a few days," Aya revealed.

"Won't that interfere with your wedding preparations with my brother?"

"My apprenticeships will take place at dawn, before any of the wedding planning with mother and Aki."

"You're doing a lot right now, Aya. Don't push yourself," Ran pointed out.

It was true, Aya had a lot on her plate. Between the war council, wedding preparations, her research, and upcoming apprenticeship… she surely was taking on a lot of responsibilities in the castle. However, she did not feel burdened or drained. She felt motivated and inspired to serve her people.

"I'll be fine. I can do it."

Later after lunch, Aya was due back in the great hall to rehearse a traditional wedding dance with Akihito and the castle's instructor. Thankfully, the Queen was busy tending to other matters within the castle to sit in on the rehearsal. She felt a slight dread that she had to face Akihito again right after his confession. She suddenly felt extremely self-conscious in his presence.

"Princess, align your steps with Prince Akihito's," the elder woman gently instructed. "Feel the flow of the music. Don't be so tense."

Don't be so tense? How could she not? She was dancing with a man, one with whom she was definitely attracted to, who had just confessed his life-long love to her several hours ago! How was she supposed to relax?

"Do you hate dancing with me that much?" Akihito teased, noticing her rigid stance. A small chuckle escaped his lips, for he knew that she was putting in immense effort.

"N- No, Aki, you're wonderful at this. It's definitely me; I never had a knack for doing this sort of thing," Aya said as she fumbled with her feet and struggled to understand the instructions being voiced by the choreographer. At least, this much was true. Aya did not have very much coordination when it came to dancing. Accidentally, as she lunged forward, she stepped on Aki's toes. "I'm so sorry!" she apologized frantically.

"Aya, it's fine. Here," he said as he traced his large hand along the path of her spine and placed a gentle pressure right at the small of her back. "Move closer, that's right, towards me so that we can be more in sync with the steps."

"A- Aki," she whispered, feeling his warm breath tickling her skin. He was so handsome this close up, even more-so than she recalled. His features were perfectly symmetrical, his lips were a perfect shape, his jawline was ever so rigid and prominent, his neck looked so clean and kissable…

She snapped out of it in an instant, realizing her lustrous thoughts about the older prince. She was always attracted to Akihito but that was the first time that she thought of him this way. She continued to gaze into his gentle, golden eyes as he continued to guide her steps.

"See? You're not bad," he pointed out. She smiled softly.

"Well, you're a great teacher, Aki," she expressed with grateful eyes.

"Being here with you, Aya…" he paused as he took her delicate hand in his. Softly, he placed his lips on her fingers, taking the princess aback. "It just feels right."

She looked into her companion's loving eyes and cherished the feeling of his warm lips on her skin. Maybe she had not been giving Akihito a fair chance with this whole marriage ordeal. He would make a wonderful husband to any lucky girl. She wanted to love him, too. Why didn't it feel as natural to her as it felt natural to him?

At the end of the rehearsal, which was already at dusk, Aya quickly gathered her belongings to see if she could make it to the last bit of the war council. She had spent the entire day with Akihito and desperately needed to distract her mind from thoughts of love and marriage. All of it was so very confusing to her. After all, she had never fallen in love before. How did she know what it was supposed to feel like?

She hurriedly walked down the long corridor towards the meeting hall. Through the castle windows, she saw the orange and pink hues of the sun setting in the distance. The pretty colors danced on the ocean's ever-moving waves. She hoped that she was not too late. She picked up her pace; only one more corner to turn and then she would finally be—

"Ah, oomph!" she exclaimed as she ran into a surface while quickly turning the corner.

"Hn. Don't you guys have a rule about not running in the castle?" an icy low tone spoke. Aya looked up, finding that the person she had just run into was the stoic son of the warlord. She rubbed her nose, which had bumped into his broad back.

"I- I'm sorry, Rei-kun! I was just rushing to the war council," she explained, bowing profusely.

"Raise your head. And, you missed it. We were just dismissed by the King," Rei stated.

"Ah, I see," Aya said as she raised her head. Rei did not fail to notice her crestfallen expression.

"You must have been busy with other matters today," he spoke lowly. She had not told him about her arrangements with Akihito. It seemed a bit inappropriate to bring up. It wasn't any of Rei's business, right?

"Yes, well, actually… I was— "

"Princess Aya," one of the maids said as she approached the two teens in the hall. "I'm glad I found you. You ran so quickly from the dance rehearsal. Your mother would like you to arrive early tomorrow morning at the seamstress's suite. You will be measured for your wedding dress."

"Oh. Thank you for telling me," Aya said as she dismissed the maid. She felt a bit embarrassed that Rei was present to hear that message, for some reason.

"Getting married?" Rei asked, his eyebrow raised. However, he already knew this due to overhearing a conversation from the day when the Toyama royals arrived at the castle.

"Y- Yes. It was arranged by my parents. To a childhood friend, a neighboring village's prince," Aya explained, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. The cat was out of the bag now, so she might as well just admit it. "It will happen at the end of the summer."

"Congratulations," he curtly stated. There was a tug at his heart that he tried to ignore.

"Thank you," she whispered, feeling a bit saddened by his congratulations.

There was silence for a moment as she looked down and fiddled with her olive green kimono. She did not know why she felt so bashful around Rei; she had never felt like this around another person before, not even with Akihito.

"Shall we sit somewhere? The sunset is lovely, today," she suggested. He agreed to her request, seeing as dinner would not be quite ready for another hour or so. Not to mention, he had not seen her all day and missed seeing her face around the war council— although, he would never admit that aloud.

The two walked the halls of the castle, towards the direction of the courtyard. There was a nice view of the sky there and the gardens were peaceful at around this time. Watching the sunset with someone was always a bit more enjoyable.

They arrived and took a seat at the same exact spots from yesterday. Again, Aya sat a meter from Rei and looked on at the painted sky.

They took in the views and did not speak for several minutes after arriving to the courtyard. However, the silence was not uncomfortable or awkward. The two felt at peace, enjoying one another's company.

"Rei-kun… can I ask you a question?" she asked after a few moments of silence between them.

"Sure. Hopefully, I'll have an answer."

"Have you," a pause, she swallowed a frog in her throat, "ever been in love?" she finished asking.

He was quiet; he did not expect such a personal question. He never liked talking about himself in this manner and wondered what her intentions were. If it were anyone else, he would brush off the question or lash out with a defensive remark.

"I have," he eventually replied. He recalled a familiar face and the bitter feelings that went along with remembering his old flame.

"How do you know? When you're in love, that is," she asked, fidgeting with her slender fingers. Rei looked over and saw genuine curiosity in her chestnut eyes. She wasn't trying to dig up personal things about him— she was looking for guidance. He was silent for a moment, trying to find the right words.

"You don't think about it. You'll just feel it," was his simple advice. Aya could tell from his form tone that he was most likely not going to share much more than that.

"I see," she said, looking forward at the sunset. "Thank you."

All this time, she had been overthinking her feelings with Akihito. She needed to listen to what her heart was feeling instead of what her mind was thinking. She took Rei's advice to heart.

Rei stole a secret glance at the princess beside him, who was currently engrossed at the sky's changing hues. The oranges, pinks, and reds danced on her fair skin and accentuated the perpetual look of innocence in her eyes. Her eyelashes were long and fluttered with each subtle blink; her long hair flowed freely in the spring breeze. The princess of Kanazawa was undeniably beautiful, confirming the rumors he heard while in his travels. She was a metaphorical girl— a person he never knew could even exist.

It was then that Rei questioned how an angel like her could ever be meant for a killer like him.

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter III — An Ally in War, A Rival in Love — End.**

**Siopao:** Please continue to support my story! Your thoughts mean a lot. And, FYI: no, Rei's past lover was not Ran. That will unfold in the story later on. :)


	4. Realizations

**Siopao:** 12/20/2019 - So sorry for the huge delay. Been so burned out from my new job and it's difficult to find time to write.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Gals!_

**Setting: **Feudal era, Japan. If you've watched InuYasha or Samurai Champloo, I would imagine it to be similar to that.

**A few terms:**

_Daimyo:_ warlords who were considered powerful allies of the king/emperor; they owned large amounts of land and protected the royal families.

_Chatelaine:_ woman in charge of taking care of the castle's daily needs; runs errands for the royal family.

_Miko:_ shrine priestess.

**Recap (since I haven't updated in several months):** Rei, his father (Warlord Gin), and Yuuya (the tactician) have been at the castle for a few days now, still planning their initial strike on the Katase clan. Aya has been joining in on the war meetings to prove to her father that she is mature enough to be involved in the village's politics. Rei and Aya have become well-acquainted, spending a few moments alone in the castle courtyard.

In the last chapter, Aya's fiance, Prince Akihito, has arrived to the village in order to start with wedding preparations. During their tea ceremony rehearsal, Akihito finally musters up the courage to confess his true feelings to the princess. Aya is taken aback and questions if she feels the same.

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter IV — Realizations**

**By: Screaming Siopao**

Mornings in Kanazawa castle were usually quiet and peaceful. Even with war preparations, things were going smoothly. Over the past few days, the village's soldiers had been training relentlessly as the war council commenced. They were preparing for their initial attack on the Katase clan, as soon as the official planning was complete. The entire town was on guard as soldiers were posted up at every part of the village during every hour of the day. Townspeople were more alert and some tradesmen even decided to halt their shipments of _tamahagane_ as a safety precaution.

This early morning, right at the crack of dawn, a particular son of the warlord was the first one in the dojo before any of the Kanazawa soldiers. Beads of sweat ran down his face as he swiftly swung his double blades at stationary targets with both precision and power.

Rei had a lot brewing in his mind during these past few days. Just one week ago, he and Yuuya were making their mark on the land as they continued forward on their voyage. They were free men, fighting to expand their territory and power. Then, a message came from his father which summoned them to Kanazawa, a town untouched by war. What was he supposed to do with land that he could not conquer? It sounded like a dreadful assignment to protect the town but he knew that his father was good friends with the king. He would never dishonor his father, the man he most looked up to.

Upon arrival, he did not expect to meet the Princess. She was pure, she was honest, she was beautiful, she was soft-spoken but ever-wise for her age. She was the exact opposite of him. Nevertheless, he felt a natural attraction towards her. Each day, when she would enter the meeting hall for the war council, he would meet her eyes and instantly feel a strange emotion welling up in his chest. He felt a magnetic pull, drawing him closer to her presence. Before he knew it, he was waking up each day with the desire to see her, even if for just a short moment. She was captivating.

She was also engaged.

He swung his double swords even more fiercely as he remembered that fact.

_"Why should I care?"_ he thought to himself. _"She wasn't ever meant to be with someone like me. A prince would be the most appropriate person for her."_

He wanted to shake off his attraction towards her, he wanted to forget her, he wanted to just leave the town and never look back. He needed to focus on the assignment but it was so difficult when Aya was clouding his mind. He knew he had to suppress his thoughts of her; they were consuming him to the point that she was all he could think about.

"Ah, there you are, Rei," Yuuya spoke as he passed by the castle's dojo and found his friend. "You've been leaving the manor so early in the morning these past few days. Is this what you've been up to?"

"We've been in Kanazawa for seven days already," Rei grunted, delivering another blow to the standing dummy. "Can't fall out of shape. I need to be sharp."

"The son of warlord Gin, the wielder of the twin dragon blades, going out of shape? That'll be the day," Yuuya chuckled as he rolled his eyes.

"Spar with me." It was more of a command rather than a request.

"I didn't bring my katana today, I'm afraid," Yuuya said. Secretly, Yuuya left his weapon back in the guest manor for good reason. He hated being Rei's punching bag. Though Yuuya was a fairly talented swordsman himself, the son of the warlord could get pretty heated and never held back during their spars.

"I'll spar with you," a third voice said as a newcomer entered the dojo.

"Ah, you're…" Yuuya began.

"Honda Akihito, of Toyama," the prince introduced. His long, ebony hair was tied back in a high pony-tail today in order to give him full mobility during his training. He wore a loose red kimono and had his right arm free from his sleeve, exposing his right bare chest. He looked intently at his opponent. "And you're Otohata Rei, son of the legendary warlord Gin."

"Why does a pretty boy prince want to spar with me?" Rei coldly asked. Rei knew this was the man that Aya was set to marry. Although Rei had already been in Kanazawa for over an entire week, this was his first direct encounter with Akihito. He wanted to wipe the smug smirk off of his royal face.

"I hear you use the twin dragon blades," Akihito spoke. "I simply wanted to see if the rumors about your swordsmanship were true."

"Fine with me. I need someone fresh to train with, anyway," Rei said, gripping both of his swords. "Since I've learned all of Yuuya's moves." There was a subtle, _"Hey!"_ that came from the corn-blonde tactician.

Akihito freed his sword from the sheath. He used a large, single blade made of pure tamahagane, welded by Kanazawa's skilled weapon makers.

"Kanazawa's legendary jewel steel— the strongest form of tamahagane in Japan," Rei spoke, staring at the impressive blade. Without a doubt, it shone differently from others; one could tell that it was forged by the town's legendary weapon makers.

"Kanazawa simply supplies the steel to other nations. The way it is forged is what makes it special. Only this town has mastered the ancient art of welding the steel to its fullest potential," Akihito informed, taking a step forward. His voice reflected a boasting tone as he spoke of his weapon.

"Rei's sword is made of tamahagane that came from this town, too, but the blades were forged in a town elsewhere," Yuuya said to himself. "I hope it withstands Honda's blows."

The first clash of blades was delivered, sending a shrill ringing tone in the air. Neither Rei or Akihito moved; their blades remained pressed against one another's.

"Not bad," Rei grunted, his face centimeters away from the prince's. _"So this is who Aya is marrying. Not too impressive, if you ask me,"_ he thought to himself.

"Same goes for you," Akihito replied. _"I'm not going to lose to you. And there's no way in hell that I'm losing Aya to you, either,"_ he thought.

The two continued their spar in the sunrise, blades clashing every which way. Even after several minutes of their spar, neither was willing to give up or terminate the session.

Across the palace, Aya and Miyuu were enjoying a morning stroll towards the royal medical suite. Aya had her first official lesson as the physician's apprentice today; in order to still be able to participate in the war council along with the wedding planning, she requested that her apprenticeship begin at dawn each day.

"You hear that?" Aya asked as she stopped dead in her tracks after hearing a piercing clash of swords.

"Must be the new soldiers training in the dojo," Miyuu stated, not thinking twice about the sound.

"The recruits don't begin training for another hour," Aya spoke, curiosity filling her eyes. She had a strange feeling about what she was going to find. "Let's go check it out."

"What about your lessons? It's your first day with sensei," Miyuu lectured.

"It'll only take a moment. Come on, we're a bit early anyway," Aya assured. The blonde gal sighed and followed the princess, who was already fleeing towards the direction of the dojo.

"Ah, fine," the blonde gal sighed as she rolled her eyes and scampered after her princess friend. She should have known that Aya was going to stick her nose in others' business, even at this early hour.

The two young girls approached the dojo within minutes, the sound of clashing of blades becoming more prominent as they drew nearer. They saw two figures, who both appeared to be participating in some type of spar.

"Hm?" Miyuu chirped. "Isn't that Akihito-san? And..."

"Rei-kun," Aya finished, her lips slightly apart.

A vague feeling mixed with curiosity and dread washed over her. The two young men had never been formally introduced yet, here they were, battling intensely face to face. She figured that they were doing this for training purposes but they definitely were not holding back, if that were the case.

"Ah, Princess. Miss Miyuu," Yuuya greeted with a curtsy as the two girls approached the scene.

"Asou-san," Aya returned the greeting with a small smile.

"Early start to the morning?" Miyuu asked, gesturing to the two that were currently still going strong with their blades.

"Rei tends to take training quite seriously. He's been itching for a good spar and, well, Prince Akihito seems to have been at the right place at the right time, it seems," the tactician replied.

Aya continued to watch as Rei and Akihito commenced their intense spar. They were so intent on their training that the two young men failed to even notice the new onlookers. She had witnessed Akihito in action many times before, seeing as she would often watch him in training or during one of his competitions. Although she did not advocate violence, seeing his superb talent never ceased to amaze her. His long, ebony hair swung freely with his graceful movements. He was always so powerful yet elegant with his blade. His motions almost seemed effortless.

Her eyes shifted to Rei. She had never witnessed Rei in battle but the rumors spoke of him being relentless, precise, and merciless. She could see that style being reflected in his current movements. Rei's technique held a more intense and aggressive approach, in contrast to Akihito's almost dance-like swordsmanship. Rei was swift and stayed low to the ground; a normal person going against Rei stood no chance. Luckily, Akihito has been trained well over the years.

From the corner of his eye, Akihito caught a glimpse of his betrothed princess. He smirked inconspicuously as beads of sweat rolled down his temple. No way was he going to look bad in front of her. It was time for him to end this little play date.

Akihito had been eyeing Rei's moves since the beginning of the spar and noticed that his opponent was left-hand dominant. In one swift motion, Akihito placed a vast blow towards Rei's weaker right hand, sending one of the twin dragon blades sliding to the other side of the dojo.

"Ah, no way," Yuuya gasped to himself. "No one has ever been able to knock a sword from Rei's hands."

"Ugh," Rei grunted, still gripping his left blade. Rei knew that he could definitely still fight with one blade, however, Akihito's katana was significantly larger and heavier than his.

With a fast swipe, Akihito's blade quickly came towards Rei, who had no choice but try to fend off the larger sword with his single, smaller blade. With the sudden force, Rei's grip on his sword weakened and Akihito's blade slipped, the tip of it grazing Rei's left cheek.

"Aki!" Aya shouted, interrupting the spar. She could see where the fight was heading and really didn't want to witness anymore of it. The two men had clearly worn themselves out and needed to stop the session, in her opinion. She disliked violence in the first place; seeing two people that she cared about going this intensely at each other especially upset her, whether it was just for sport or not.

"Princess," Rei whispered to himself as he finally noticed her presence. He looked away as he made brief eye contact with her. _"Tch, she saw that?"_

"We'll finish this another time," the prince said to his opponent as he returned his sword to its sheath. "I'll expect a better fight when we meet next."

Rei wanted to wipe that smile off of the prince's pretty face so bad but didn't think that Aya would appreciate a bruised fiancé all too much.

"Aya, you're up early. What brings you here?" Akihito asked as he approached his fiancée. Aya tried to ignore his exposed bare chest, which was currently covered in a layer of sweat, and directed her eyes towards his handsome face.

"What's all this?" Aya asked, ignoring his question. A worried look was plastered on her face. Akihito knew that the princess was not a fan of fighting, ever since she was young.

"It's just a little spar," he reassured. "All in good fun."

"Well, it looked like it was getting pretty serious, to me," Aya pointed out as she looked away, crossing her dainty arms across her chest.

"Don't be upset, Aya," Akihito pleaded with a playful smile. He took her hand and kissed her fingers, allowing his lips to linger on her soft skin. He wanted to make sure that a certain son of the warlord was watching.

"A- Aki!" A pink blush graced her cheeks at the sudden contact. Ever since his confession a few days ago, Akihito definitely had become a lot more forward with his feelings. She still was not used to all of his intimate actions.

From where he stood, Rei cursed under his breath and looked away. He didn't know why seeing Aya with Akihito bothered him so much. He just _knew_ that Akihito was flaunting; he had just won the spar and now was showing off his close relationship with the princess.

But Rei knew he really had no place to be annoyed with the scene unfolding before him. Aya was a princess who was arranged to marry Akihito, who was also of royal lineage. Aya fated to be with him.

Over the past few days in Kanazawa, Rei came to know the princess. She was patient and gracious, mild-mannered and friendly. She made time to speak with him each day, even though he could see that she was worn out from her day. They had grown to become friends and, even though Rei would never be caught saying it out loud, he found her to be alluring. It was probably his attraction to her which caused him to be so irritated at the sight before him. Rei hated to admit it, but he knew that he needed to learn his place and remain in the shadows.

Otherwise, he was just going to get hurt in the end.

**o0o0o0o**

Aya huffed as she set down another scroll. Scattered on the desk in front of her were texts about medicine and the human body. After her first day of apprenticeship with the royal physician, she realized she had a lot to learn about medicine. The physician was patient, kind, and _extremely_ knowledgeable; would she ever get to that point? She was starting to wonder if she bit off a little more than she could chew.

"No, no," she said to herself. "This is the only way I can help. Father has already made it clear that I'm too young and inexperienced to help in the planning during the war council. I have very basic fighting capabilities, and I clearly am not a huge advocate for bloodshed... Healing is my only way to contribute."

She picked up a new scroll (it was entitled _Herbs with Antimicrobial Properties_) as her resolve was once again restored. She was determined to make an excellent healer someday. Although she had already been studying for several hours, she was still going strong. She had endured a long day with her apprenticeship at dawn, the war council later in the morning, wedding preparations in the afternoon, and, now, she continued on in her studies while most of the castle was already preparing themselves for bed.

She closed her scrolls as she finished reading the text. She yawned and was physically tired, yet, her mind could not help but wonder about the son of the warlord. He seemed cold after the spar session with Akihito this morning and did not even look at her throughout the entire morning during the war meetings. Of course, he must have felt bitter after that fight. Being a skilled fighter, he must not be used to losing, at all.

Aya packed up her belongings and quickly rushed out of the palace library. She wanted to see him. She made a pit-stop at the physician's medicine collection (he had shown her earlier that day) and picked up a certain salve that caught her eye.

She left the castle and briskly paced towards the guest manor, where the warlord and his entourage were temporarily staying. It was just a few minutes' walk from the castle so she felt safe walking alone, even though it was already quite late.

She didn't know what suddenly overcame her. She just wanted to see him. She wondered if he would even be awake.

Then, there, she saw him. The person who her mind could not shake, for what ever reason. He was sitting on the front deck, looking up at the stars. She took a moment to appreciate how at-peace he looked. His eyes matched the midnight sky.

"Rei-kun," Aya spoke softly as she called out his name. Her voice was musical, like soft bells in the wind.

"Princess," Rei said, caught off guard.

He wasn't expecting her to arrive at the guest manor at this late hour. Not to mention, he was somewhat avoiding her all day long. He didn't want her looking at him after that defeat in the dojo earlier at dawn. To him, he felt as if he had lost more than just a spar. Losing to Akihito felt like a sign... that Aya would never be with someone like him.

"It's _Aya_, remember?" she corrected with a slight head tilt and a raised eyebrow.

"Hn," he grunted as he looked away. It still felt weird to be addressing her so informally when, after all, she was _royalty_.

"I- I was hoping you would still be awake," she stammered. It was almost a whisper.

"It's late. Why have you come? Is everything alright?" he asked.

"Yes, it's just... I didn't get a chance to speak with you earlier today. I wanted to see you," she admitted, biting her bottom lip at her confession. She felt a bit embarrassed as she said it out loud.

She walked up to the manor and sat next to Rei, the night breeze running through their hair. The sound of the ocean crashing on the shore could be heard just a few meters away; it was soothing and calmed down her unexplained nerves.

"Ah," he said as he scratched the back of his neck, trying not to show the faint heat rising on his cheek. "Yes, I suppose we didn't really have many chances to interact today."

"Today was fairly busy for me so I couldn't see you after the war meetings. I had to do some more preparations for the wedding afterwards and, well, I also had to do some studying since I've become the doctor's apprentice."

"Medicine, huh? It suits you. You're too smart for all this war stuff. Your brain is wasted in those dull meetings."

"Learning about running my village intrigues me. I just want to do all I can."

"Well, I think you would make a brilliant doctor."

"Actually, that's part of why I'm here. I brought this," Aya said as she held out her hand, which carried a small bowl. "I noticed that cut on your cheek from this morning." She gestured to the linear abrasion on his cheek from this morning's spar.

"Ah, this scratch? It's nothing." He cursed at himself for even giving his opponent the opportunity to strike him.

"It's a bit deeper than I'd anticipated," she said as she eyed it closely. He gulped at her close proximity. "This salve will ensure that no infections occur," she explained, gesturing to the small ceramic bowl in her hands.

"I'll be fine, it doesn't hurt."

"Please, Rei-kun," she pleaded, her large chestnut eyes glowing in the moonlight. "Let me take care of you." Rei had to quickly look away, lest more heat should rise on his cheeks.

"Fine," he gave in before she could plead anymore. _"Dammit, she's cute. How can you say 'no' when she looks at your that way?"_

"Face me," she demanded—gently, of course. He reluctantly followed.

"Yes, _your highness_," he said in a joking tone.

"Very funny," she huffed, rolling her eyes. "I'm going to disinfect the wound and then place the salve over it... okay?" she clarified, almost as if asking permission. Rei nodded.

She wiped the wound clean with a fresh cloth she had brought, careful not to worsen the cut. As she cleaned the wound, Aya unintentionally grazed her bare fingertips along the skin of Rei's cheek. She blushed as she made direct contact; she was so close to him and, since she was so focused on her medicine, she didn't even realize it until now. She tried to calm down her quickened heart rate by focusing on the task at hand.

Rei watched as Aya did her work. She was so concentrated with her eyebrows in a slight furrow and her pink lips pursed into a fine line. She was only a few mere centimeters from him; he admired the flutter of her long eyelashes with each blink. He took note of a slight pink hue grazing her porcelain skin and couldn't help but find it charming. He couldn't deny his attraction towards the princess but it would be a secret he'd keep to himself.

Aya continued to spread the salve on his cheek, making gentle strokes with her fingers so as to distribute the medicine evenly.

Finally, she placed a small bandage over top of the wound.

"There," she said with a look of accomplishment. "All finished."

Rei touched the area of his cheeks that she had just tended to. Aya was so gentle, so kind. Healing was something she was meant to do.

"Hn. That was more painless than I thought," he stated.

"Mou," she pouted.

"Kidding. Thank you," he said with a soft smile tugging at his lips. She felt her cheeks grow warm—she loved seeking his subtle, crooked smirk.

"Thank you for being my first patient!" she beamed.

"Won't your fiance be jealous that you're tending to another man?" Rei half-joked.

"What? Oh, you mean Aki?" she chirped, almost forgetting that he was indeed her fiance. "He's fine. He isn't like that."

"You sure about that? I don't think he's very fond of me."

"Hm? Why would you think that?"

Aya was as oblivious, Rei noted. She couldn't see that Rei was attracted to her and that Akihito was envious that they would spend time together in the war meetings.

"No reason. Forget I said it," Rei shook off the topic.

"It still feels strange when people refer to Aki as my _'fiance'_," Aya spoke, looking at the twinkling stars overhead.

"Well, isn't he?"

"I suppose, _technically_, yes. It just doesn't feel right, to me. I've known Aki since I was a child, I don't see him in that light," she admitted, sorting out her feelings.

"You didn't want the marriage?" Rei couldn't help but pry.

"No, not at all. My parents and his parents arranged it. I had no say," she sadly spoke.

"That sounds terrible. I'm sorry," he genuinely said.

"Marriage should be saved for _true_ love... right?" she asked him, her eyes filled with a soft sadness.

"In my opinion, yes. But I'm not royalty. I think your world works a little bit different."

"Why?" she sighed; it was more of a rhetorical question that she was asking to her inner self and also outwardly to the world. Why? Why was she placed in this predicament?

The two were silent, each dwelling on their own thoughts as the night grew longer.

"I think that marrying Aki will be a mistake," Aya suddenly said. Her voice was firm and unwavering; it was different from her usual placid, timid tone.

"Why? He's royalty. He's a good fighter. I guess he's not half-bad-looking," Rei scoffed. "I thought you loved him?"

"I love him but... more like a brother, in a way," Aya whispered, her eyes downcast.

Yes, she knew Akihito was a great man. He was gentle, yet someone who could protect and fight. He was loyal, willing to do anything for his people. And, yes, he was physically attractive but that was certainly not a good reason to marry someone. Aya had been so blinded by his recent gestures of romance and intimacy that she realized her heart was not beating fast due to reciprocating his feelings; it was because she had never been courted in that way by a man before. The feelings were so new, they overwhelmed her. It made her think for a moment that she may have loved Akihito, too.

"Have you told him? Or your parents?"

"No. Because I only just realized it now... Here, with _you,_" she spoke, turning towards him.

"Ah," Rei uttered. He didn't know what to say. Part of him was relieved to hear her true feelings but part of him couldn't help but think that she was just being a bit stubborn with the situation.

"I don't know when I'll find the courage to go against my parents wishes or break this all to Aki but thank you for allowing me to sort out my feelings, Rei-kun," she said with a weak smile. "I feel like you showing up to the palace was meant to be."

Another few moments of silence. Rei didn't know how to respond to that statement. Were they fated to meet? If that were the case, he certainly wanted to be more than just a mere adviser or confidant.

"So what's going to happen now?" he asked, breaking the silence.

"I don't know. I guess it depends on whether I can be brave enough to tell the truth," she sadly spoke. It would certainly break the prince's heart, especially since he had been patiently waiting for her response to his recent confession. She didn't know if she could bear it.

But she would rather endure a few moments of discomfort rather than a lifetime of being with someone her heart could not ever love.

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter IV — Realizations — End.**

**Siopao:** I know there aren't many of us left in this fandom but I would greatly appreciate your thoughts! The next chapters, hopefully, will have more war action. Please review.


	5. The First Battle

**Siopao:** _(3/23/2020)_ Thank you all for waiting! Sorry for the delay. Finally have some time and energy to write now that I've been staying home from work. The _GALS!_ manga sequel has really been motivating me to write about Aya and Rei! I don't have the manga-mee app since it isn't available in my country but Mihona-sensei has been uploading chapters there on a weekly basis. The previews of Aya and Rei have been super adorable!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Gals!_

**Setting: **Feudal era, Japan. If you've watched InuYasha or Samurai Champloo, I would imagine it to be similar to that.

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter V — ****The First Battle**

**By: Screaming Siopao**

It was the morning of the first attack. Outside, the clouds were dark, threatening to release their heavy rainfall. The air was thick and the sea's waves violently crashed onto the jagged rocks on the shore. Everyone in town was on edge, most especially the Kanazawa soldiers. For many, this would be the first time they would see battle.

The final war council was being conducted in the meeting hall. It consisted of only the most important and most vital members of the council: the King, Commander Yamato, a handful of captains, and Warlord Gin and his party. They were finalizing the details of the initial strike while the troops were already waiting at the town's borders. They were due to depart for the mountains within one hour.

Aya rushed from her morning lessons with the physician to try and hear the last details of the meeting. She knew she would be a bit late since today's medicinal lesson ran a bit overtime, but she hoped that she hadn't missed the entire briefing. She hurried through the halls, ignoring the pleas of the castle maids to slow down her pace. She wanted to be there; she wanted to see _his_ face again before they departed. He would be leaving for the mountains and wanted to wish him luck.

She arrived to the meeting hall, took a moment to catch her breath, and quietly slid open its doors. The leaders were so focused on the final details of the attack that her entrance was unnoticed by everyone. Well, save for the son of the warlord. As she entered, she made eye contact with Rei's cool eyes. She gave a quick wave of her hand and he acknowledged her presence with a slight nod.

"Again, the scouting group found the Katase camp here, just the other day," Yamato said, pointing to a large map sprawled out on the table. "It was empty when our scouts arrived but the firewood was warm and there were traces of food left behind. This location is deep in the eastern part of the mountains."

"We will separate into groups to surround that area of the forest," Yuuya confirmed. "A river runs around that terrain so they couldn't have crossed any further east of this region."

"Right. My team will enter from the south," Yamato stated, "and team beta will enter from the north. Rei and Yuuya's team will approach from the west."

"Actually, minor change in plans," Warlord Gin verbalized, surprising everyone in the room. All eyes were on the warlord.

"Sir? On the day of the attack?" Yuuya asked, taken aback.

"I will take my son's place and lead the team attacking from the western mountains. Rei, you will stay behind and protect the royal family, in my stead," the warlord announced with a smile.

"What? Why am I staying behind?" Rei asked, speaking for the first time during the whole meeting.

"I haven't seen action in a while, son," the warlord said as he gave a hearty laugh. "I know we don't expect too much direct contact today but I've been itching to go back out in the battle field."

"Are you sure, Gin?" the king asked his friend. "We planned for you to stay behind and lead the town's defense."

"I think Rei will be able to handle it. He's capable enough to protect the royal family. Right, son?"

"I- But," Rei stammered, his voice low. He knew that his father was springing this last minute change during the final meeting on purpose. That way, it would be difficult to argue with him due to the time sensitive nature of the operation. He knew there was no negotiating with his headstrong father when he got an idea in his head. He sighed, giving into his father's last minute request. "Fine."

"Great," the warlord bellowed. "Both Yuuya and Rei will stay behind and lead Kanazawa's defenses. Yuuya, you know all the plans and I will lead the entrance from the west. Everything else remains the same. Questions?"

"No, sir," the men in the room replied in unison.

"Then I guess we'd better head out. Meeting dismissed," the warlord commanded. Instantly, the men began to file out of the room.

At the gate of the castle, the men mounted their horses to meet the rest of the soldiers at the town's borders. By now, the rain had begun to fall at a steady pace. It wasn't the most ideal weather for a strike but hopefully the sound of the rain would act to Kanazawa's advantage.

"I'll be back by dawn tomorrow, at the latest," warlord Gin spoke to his son as he mounted his white steed.

"Good luck, warlord Gin," Yuuya spoke with a slight bow.

"You owe me for this, old man," Rei huffed, obviously ticked off by his father's last minute decisions. After all these years, he hadn't gotten used to his father's fickle tendencies.

"Oh, Rei, don't be such a grump," warlord Gin laughed as he looked on at his annoyed son. "Protecting the people is a great task and noble honor. It's not just a menial job." The warlord then looked up towards the castle's entry-way, where a certain princess was silently looking on. "Protect these people. Protect _her_."

Rei looked behind him to see what his father was gesturing at. He locked eyes with Aya, whose eyes were filled with concern.

"I was going to do that without you even saying it, obviously," Rei muttered.

"That's my son. Don't miss me too much while I'm gone," the warlord winked as he turned his horse away.

"Don't cause the soldiers too many problems with your antics and bad jokes," Rei replied back. His father laughed heartily.

"I'll be back before you know it."

And, with that, the warlord sped away from the castle towards the mountains, trailing behind the commander and the soldiers.

"Goodbye, father," Rei murmured to himself, letting the rain wash over him.

"Your father may be unconventional but you can't deny that the man's got style," Yuuya chuckled as he watched the remaining soldiers disappear into the impending storm.

"Rei-kun," a gentle voice spoke as the figure approached the two young men standing in the rain.

"Ah, your highness," Yuuya spoke. He looked at the princess and then back at Rei, reading the situation. "I'll leave you two be. Rei, I'll be in the study if you need me."

"Hn," Rei grunted, looking away from his friend, who was flashing an inconspicuous 'thumbs up.'

"So it really seems like you'll be staying behind?" Aya clarified. Secretly, she was glad that Rei was no longer leaving for the mountains. She had been so worried up to this point, afraid that he would get involved in combat and possibly get hurt in battle. She sighed in relief when Warlord Gin proposed that Rei should stay behind instead.

"Princess, you shouldn't be out in the rain," Rei spoke, not addressing her question.

"It's _Aya_," she corrected.

"Ah, right. Sorry." Rei then swiftly removed a garment of silk hanging around his waist and placed it over the princess' head.

"E- Eh?" she chirped as she touched the midnight blue silk.

"Let's head inside, you're soaked," he spoke, gently handling the small of her back as the rain continued to pour. She blushed at his touch.

"Thank you," Aya whispered as they found shelter within the castle's walls. She removed the silk from her head, revealing her drenched hair. She clutched the cloth; it had the Otohata family insignia embroidered onto it.

"You should be safe inside the castle, along with the King and Queen. You shouldn't have stepped out, you could get sick," Rei spoke lowly, softly shaking his head. His task was to protect the princess and he couldn't even keep her dry in the rain.

"I just wanted to see if you were okay," she replied. "What with your father suddenly changing the plans, and all..."

"He's reckless. He just does whatever he wants," the boy huffed, crossing his arms. "He was never one to stick to rules and plans. He's always been like that."

"Then I guess you're quite different from him in that aspect, hm?"

"The plans exist for a reason. But I suppose there's no use in fighting it. My task has shifted now."

"Right. You'll be leading the town's defenses."

"My duty now is to protect the town, the people, the castle, and..." Rei trailed off as he looked into Aya's chestnut eyes. "_You_."

His stare was so piercing, so intense that she couldn't help but shiver. Was it due to the wet clothes clinging to her skin? Maybe it was his chilling stare? Or was it due to that last statement that Rei just spoke? The idea of being protected by him... it just made her feel so secure. She felt her stomach go in knots.

Rei raised his arm and gently stroked away the wet strands of hair clinging onto her fair face.

"Go dry off," he spoke, his slender fingers lingering against her cheek.

"Ah, y- yes—" she stammered, her face turning pink.

"Aya?" another male voice spoke. Aya turned to face the newcomer.

"A- Aki—"

"_You_. Son of the warlord," Akihito spoke, approaching Aya and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Weren't you supposed to leave for the mountains by now?"

"For your information, I've just been tasked to stay behind and protect the village. Last time I checked, the princess falls into that category," Rei spat back coolly as he defensively crossed his arms.

"Hmph," Akihito huffed as he turned to examine his fiancée. "Aya, you're soaked. Go and get changed, before you catch a cold."

"H- Hai..." she complied as she reluctantly walked away. She didn't like the tones in either of the men's voices. She was hoping that the two would remain civil. "I'll see you later, Rei-kun," she bade with a small wave.

"Hn," Rei grunted.

"Why are you always around Aya?" Akihito spat as soon as Aya was out of earshot.

"I'm sorry, I think I missed something. Do you, by chance, own the princess?" Rei sarcastically asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Of course not, but she's my fiancée. I see the way you look at her," Akihito spoke. "I don't like it."

"I'm very well informed that she's arranged to be married," Rei replied, narrowing his eyes. How could he forget? The thought taunted him daily. "But I guess she hasn't told you anything yet." Aya's words from the other night echoed in his mind: _"I think that marrying Aki will be a mistake."_

"What? Told me what?" Akihito asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing," Rei replied before he would say anything else that would get him into trouble. Aya told him those things in confidence. This wasn't the time to be breaking her trust.

"Whatever. Stay away from her," Aki finally said before turning away, walking towards the direction that Aya went. Rei remained where he stood, looking at the downpour of rain that commenced outside.

"I don't think I could, even if I tried," Rei whispered to himself.

Rei had never felt like this before.

Before Aya, he had one other girl that he considered to have loved. She was the daughter of a neighboring warlord, Himeko. They spent last summer together and even had thoughts of marriage. That is, until she betrayed him. She and her father only used Rei to try and bring Warlord Gin down. The battle was messy but the Otohata family prevailed. Sadly, he couldn't say the same about his first love. He hasn't thought about romance since Himeko.

That is, until he met Aya. She was gracious, patient, gentle, timid yet kind. Her beauty was legendary across the lands but he never imagined that she would be this captivating. It was enough to cause his frigid heart to slowly, but surely, melt.

**o0o0o0o**

"Good job, today, princess," the dance instructor commended as today's lessons came to an end. "You're improving each day."

"Don't give me so much credit," Aya said as she gave a shy laugh. "It's because Aki here is a great dance partner."

"No, Aya, you really are getting the hang of it," Aki said as he gently stroked her back. She jumped at his touch. "You only stepped on my feet _once_ today," he laughed.

"Funny," she sarcastically mumbled as she crossed her arms.

"Listen, Aya," Akihito spoke softly. Aya heard a sudden seriousness in his voice. "I wanted to talk. Did you want to join me for lunch?"

"Sure, Aki. But what did you want to talk about?" she asked, curious about his sudden change in attitude. Did something happen this morning with his encounter with Rei? He was acting funny at that time. "You can tell me anything."

"It's just... I've been having this weird feeling lately," he said, eyebrows furrowed. His golden orbs were filled with worry and a hint of sadness, from what Aya could see. "Maybe I'm being paranoid."

"About what?"

"Well, the son of the warlord," he blurted, taking her aback.

"Rei-kun?"

"I noticed you're on a first-name basis with him. Aya, what does he mean to you?" he asked as he took both of her hands in his.

"He... he's..." she trailed off, not finding the right words to say. They were friends... _right?_ Was that it? There was nothing more to it? Then why couldn't she say it? Maybe it was because she wanted so much more than to just be _friends_ with Rei.

"Aya," Miyuu suddenly called out as she entered the room. "Your medical lessons with sensei are about to start. Shall we head down together now?"

"Ah! Sensei! I forgot we were doing afternoon lessons today, as well," Aya said as she smacked her palm to her forehead. They had arranged to have extra lessons since there would no longer be war meetings being held for the time being. "I'm so sorry, Aki, I can't do lunch right now. I'll see you around dinnertime!"

"Ah, but—" he started to say but, really, it was no use since Aya was already through the door. "Alright. See you then," he said to an empty room.

He sighed in defeat as he took a seat, pouring himself a cup of tea. Everything at this moment seemed futile to him. Was Aya ever going to return his feelings? Or was he fighting a battle that couldn't be won?

**o0o0o0o**

"This is it," Yamato spoke lowly as they arrived onto an abandoned camp site. It had taken the soldiers a few hours to venture up the mountains and into the suspected hide-out of the enemy. "Katase's men couldn't have gotten far. Our men have this region surrounded."

"The rain has covered their tracks," one of Yamato's men said as they scoured the area. "All that's left is mud."

"Something doesn't feel right," Yamato spoke as he analyzed the area. "It's too quiet."

Suddenly, they heard a loud booming sound coming from the west. Despite the rain, a large cloud of gray smoke rose in the distant air, a few kilometers away.

"What was that noise?" one of the men asked.

"It sounded like an explosion of some sort," another said.

"That area..." Yamato said as he stared off into the distance, "is where the warlord and his team are. Captain, change of plans. We're all to head west. I have a bad feeling."

"Yes, sir!" the men replied in unison as their horses all charged into the woods.

"You, head north and send a message to team beta," Yamato commanded one of the soldiers. "Report to their captain that there is a possible ambush in the western mountains. All men are to assemble there. Go!"

"On it, sir!" the messenger replied as he took off with haste towards the north.

It took a few moments by horse but Yamato and his team finally arrived to the part of the mountains where Warlord Gin and his party were assigned to scour. When they arrived, they saw a large team of soldiers clad in forest-green armor fighting against the Otohata clan's soliders, who were clad in navy-blue. Currently, the Katase soliders outnumbered the warlord's team. In the nearby distance, there was a green flag waving in their air with a five-petal cherry blossom engraved onto it— Yamato immediately recognized it to be the Katase clan's crest.

The loud booming noise that they heard earlier did, in fact, come from an explosion. That is, from rifles. Yamato saw that all of the Katase soldiers were equipped with a rifle, which was definitely out of ordinary for this region.

"Men, be careful of those guns, they are quicker than your blade," the Commander warned. "But it takes careful and accurate precision to use them, so don't give the enemy the time to shoot!"

"Yes, sir!" the men said as they charged onto the scene to help their comrades. Yamato looked on at the scene, analyzing the situation.

"Guns, gunpowder... I had no idea that the Katase clan had access to these weapons. They must have been doing a lot of trades with foreigners," he said to himself, his eyebrows furrowed.

The commander was scanning the area for the warlord, whom he had not located yet. His eyes then shifted to large, burly man leaning against a tree as he clutched his side. It was warlord Gin, and he was currently trying to put up a fight against one of the Katase soliders. Yamato recognized the opponent— he was the soldier from the docks who burned one of the townsmen's boats.

"Warlord Gin!" Yamato shouted as he unmounted his horse and rushed over to the warlord.

"Commander! Nice of you to join us," the warlord welcomed as he winced in pain, still clutching his side.

"Sir, you're wounded!" Yamato shouted as he jumped in front of the warlord, protecting him from the Katase solider.

"Just a flesh wound, no worries," he reassured as he smiled weakly. Yamato saw a good amount of blood covering the warlord's hand as he attempted to apply pressure to his side. It surely didn't look like just a flesh wound.

"We'll get you a medic as soon as we can, sir!"

"Ah, commander of the royal military," the enemy solider voiced out lowly. "We meet again. This time, on my turf."

"This was an ambush," Yamato spoke, pointing out the enemy's plans. "You knew we'd be splitting up, didn't you?"

"Let's just say you're a bit predictable, commander," the soldier scowled with an eerie smirk.

"Did you know the warlord would be accompanying us, today?" Yamato asked with a low growl.

"Actually, no, that was a surprise. My instructions were to acquire the son of the warlord. But having the warlord, himself, is a better trophy, if you ask me," he said maliciously.

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Yamato said as he unleashed his sword. "Where is he? Your leader, Katase?"

"You think he'd be around here? Do you really underestimate us that much? I'd be more worried about the current battle in front of you, if you were smart," the soldier said as he, too, raised his sword.

"Then give me your best fight!" Yamato yelled as he charged forward.

**o0o0o0o**

It was late in the evening, now. The rain had momentarily halted for the time being as a certain son of the warlord and tactician walked along the sand. Rei spent the entire day patrolling the town's borders, making sure there were no disruptions or sudden enemy attacks. This would be the time that Kanazawa was the most vulnerable, due to the fact that most of the town's soldiers were currently in the mountains. He knew he had an important task, yet he couldn't help but feel like he was missing part of the action. He wanted to leave the town, even if it was just for a moment. He needed a distraction that would keep his mind occupied, instead of thinking about _her_ all day.

"It's a bit chilly tonight, yeah? Must have been due to all the rain," Yuuya spoke as he strolled alongside his companion. Currently, they were walking along the southern docks. A thick fog encased the entire beach. This was where the initial attack happened, according to the reports.

"Hn," Rei grunted as he picked up a pebble from the sand. He felt its smoothness and gripped it tight in his hand, just before throwing it far into the ocean.

"Something on your mind?" Yuuya asked.

"Not really," Rei mumbled, chucking another pebble into the tides. He found some amusement in it, actually.

In reality, something _was_ on Rei's mind. _Many_ things, in fact. He was still a bit angry at his father, for making him stay behind in the town. He was annoyed at Akihito from their earlier encounter this morning. He was also confused about his thoughts concerning Aya, knowing he had developed feelings for her but she was arranged to marry someone else. This was the most inner turmoil that he ever experienced. Yet, he didn't know how to express these worries, even to his supposed best friend Yuuya.

"You thinking about the princess?" Yuuya asked before Rei could toss a third pebble.

"What? Why would I be?" Rei asked, taken aback. _Was he a mind reader or something?_ Rei thought.

"Ah, Rei, you really do underestimate me, don't you? We've been friends for as long as I can remember. I'd like to think that I know you better than anyone," the corn-haired lad spoke. "I know when something's clouding your mind."

"Well, what if I _was_ thinking about her?"

"In what way?"

"Who knows," Rei mumbled, more to himself.

"I know you like her, it's pretty obvious," Yuuya pointed out.

"What? No, it isn't," Rei rebuked.

"Okay, maybe not obvious to the normal person. But I am the ever-observant type," Yuuya proudly stated. "Also, again, I'm your best friend."

"Yeah, okay, whatever. Even if I _liked_ Aya, there's nothing I can do. She's engaged, remember?"

"Well, you never let anything stop you before."

"That isn't the—" Rei suddenly stopped speaking mid-sentence after hearing a rustling sound in the trees ahead.

"And since when did you back down from a challenge, anyway?" Yuuya continued to stammer on, oblivious to Rei's heightened caution.

"Shut up," Rei spat, listening intently to the trees.

"Well, you're being pleasant. Keep that attitude up and the princess definitely won't—"

"Seriously, Yuuya, be quiet," Rei repeated, furrowing his eye brows and gripping the handles of his twin swords. "Something's coming." Yuuya then turned his attention toward the trees and listened intently to the rustling, which was growing nearer by the second.

"Should we alert the castle guards?" Yuuya asked, his mood much more serious than before. He, too, gripped the handle of his katana, anticipating the enemy to emerge.

"Let's wait a moment," Rei spoke lowly, eyeing the trees.

As the rustling grew nearer, it was clear that whoever was coming was riding on horse. There were a lot of them, that part was clear. Vibrations could be felt on the sand as the incoming crowd got closer and closer.

Then, a minute later, several soldiers on horseback emerged from the bushes. The night was dark and the fog was thick but Rei sighed in relief as he finally realized that the newcomers were friendly faces.

"Commander Yamato!" Yuuya exclaimed as he re-sheathed his katana. At the front of the group, sure enough, was the commander.

"You're all back early," Rei said suspiciously. He noticed that Yamato's armor was all muddied up. Not to mention, the troops all looked quite worn down. Something must have happened and Rei didn't have a good feeling about it. "You weren't due back until dawn."

"Yuuya, Rei," the commander breathlessly spoke. "We got back as soon as we could. There were too many losses."

"What happened?" Yuuya asked, concerned.

"There was an ambush. They knew we were coming. They were looking for you, Rei."

"Me?" the dark haired lad replied, perplexed.

"And, I'm sorry but... your father," Yamato breathed. "We need to rush him to the hospital wing."

"What? What the hell happened to him?" Rei asked, his voice raised.

"I'm sorry, Rei, I'll explain later. Men, move! Onward to the castle! The injured men get first-line treatment right away!" Yamato commanded his troops. In an instant, the soldiers did as they were told and rode towards the castle's gates.

Rei remained dumbfounded where his stood as he watched Yamato and the rest of the soldiers riding away. Why was the Katase clan looking for him? What happened to his father? Could all of this have been avoided if he had just gone in the first place, like what was initially planned?

"Rei, we should go, too," Yuuya spoke, shaking Rei out of his thoughts.

"Ah, right."

And the two marched forward, not sure if they were ready to face the problems that laid ahead.

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter V — The First Battle — End.**

**Siopao:** Please continue to support & kindly leave a review. :) If you want to talk about the GALS! sequel, just message me!


	6. Far from Reach

**Siopao:** _(4/1/2020)_ Hope everyone is staying home & staying safe! Two updates in a short time frame... I must be going crazy, haha. I love the Aya & Rei pairing more than ever, even after all these years! Their interactions in the new manga sequel are so, super cute. Recently, Rei bought Aya these expensive, platinum earrings with her December birthstone. It was so adorable! I feel like their first kiss is soon to come. I can't wait until the chapters are published in English.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Gals!_

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter VI — Far from Reach**

**By: Screaming Siopao**

Chaos. Shouting. A spinning room.

"Hang in there, sir!" a panicked voice yelped. The warlord was going in and out of consciousness but he vaguely recognized the feminine tone of that voice. Had he been asleep for a long time? He wondered what time it was.

"Princess Aya," Warlord Gin mumbled, his words barely audible. His eyelids fought to flutter open; they felt as heavy as bricks.

He felt her small hands gently tending his side wound. He was currently on a cot as she was kneeling beside him, cleaning the bloodied area with a cloth. The active bleeding had stopped by this point and she hastily grabbed new bandages and was now in the process of applying clean gauze to that region. She was working quickly, despite her shaking hands.

Around them, the castle nurses and medical team were hurriedly scrambling around, tending to the dozens of men that were injured during the ambush in the mountains. The hospital wing was chaotic, with more wounded men than the staff could handle. Sadly, there were a few casualties, so far.

"He's finally awake, sensei!" Aya yelled across the room. The warlord had been unconscious since the arrival of the soldiers, which was just about one hour ago. The castle physician whipped his head around from his current patient and instructed Aya to give the warlord more medicine for his pain and an additional herb for his wound. "Yes, sensei!" she replied anxiously as she stood on her feet.

"It's... no use," the warlord grumbled lowly, gripping Aya's wrist as she stood.

"W- What?"

"I've lost too much blood out there. Don't waste... your medicine on me. It's a lost cause," he slowly explained, a broken smile gracing his rugged face. Aya looked at him, pity and devastation painted on her expression. A mighty warrior, arguably the strongest warlord in Japan, reduced to saying these words of a helpless man. Aya bit her lower lip and shook her head, refusing to listen to her elder.

"That's not true! We're going to help you!" Aya said with determination in her eyes.

"Use your time and energy... to save the younger soldiers. I've lived a long, full life," he grunted, clutching his side and grimacing in pain.

"Don't you dare think of giving up. Think of Rei-kun!" she yelped, a few emotional tears escaping from her eyes.

"Ah, yes, Rei," the warlord spoke fondly. "He's a good kid. He'll make a fine warlord."

"And you'll live to see it," Aya responded, her voice unwavering.

"Please... princess, take care of Rei. He doesn't realize it yet but... he needs you," Warlord Gin murmured, his eyes shutting once more. He then winced in pain as he had a sudden burst of violent coughs. Aya quickly helped him to sit upright, covering his mouth with a clean linen. She gasped when she saw fresh blood tainting the white cloth. As she was holding onto the warlord, Aya realized that his body temperature was quite elevated.

"You're burning hot," she observed, ignoring his pleas concerning Rei. "You have an infection, you need more medicine and rest," she quickly diagnosed.

Though her studies with the castle physician have been short, Aya was an avid reader of the medical scrolls all throughout her younger years. Not to mention, she was a quick learner, which was why she was trusted by the medical staff to help out in this dire situation, despite her brief training up to this point.

"Please, princess. I'm ready to go. I have no regrets," he whispered, his tone low and peaceful. "To die in battle is the greatest honor."

"You've developed a high fever, sir! You— you're speaking nonsense. I'm getting you more medicine, so hold on!" she exclaimed as she quickly stood once more and dashed away to fetch more supplies. She would have to add a fever-reducer to the medicinal cocktail that she was currently thinking about.

Aya ran as fast as she could into the medical supply room. Here, all sorts of medicine, herbs, salves, and bandages could be found for the medical staff to use. Nurses hastily ran in and out at a constant pace. There were pre-made formulas here to use for several types of injuries and illnesses but Aya knew she had to concoct her own formula for what she specifically wanted. Aya quickly remembered the ingredients she needed, crushed up some herbs, combined them all together, and prepared it into bowl for the warlord to ingest.

"This should do it," she spoke to herself, determination in her eyes. "I'm not giving up on you, even if you've already given up on yourself."

She ran back out to the ward and found a team of nurses, along with the physician himself, surrounding the warlord. What was going on? She had only been away for a mere five or six minutes. She walked closer, realizing that the faces of the nurses looked grim.

"What... happened?" Aya reluctantly asked, observing the ever-so-still body of the warlord. She noticed that his chest was not rising and falling at a steady pace. His face also had a paleness to it that was not present before. '_No... it can't be,'_ she thought in horror.

"We're sorry, princess," her sensei spoke. "He started seizing as soon as you left. We did all we could but it was futile. After all your hard work, too..."

"No," she breathed, her hands clutching the ceramic bowl in her hands. "He was just speaking to me. I— I made this for his fever."

"And you've done well," the physician spoke again, his eyes downcast. "From the second the warlord walked in here, I already knew that he had shed too much blood on the battlefield. His condition was just too bad, to begin with. Not to mention, their travel down the mountain took several hours."

"I... I can't believe it," she muttered. '_He gave up.' _

"You've done the best you can," the physician comforted his prodigy.

"I..." Aya trailed off, hot tears in her eyes. She couldn't believe it. She had no words. '_I wanted to save you,'_ she thought. '_How will Rei-kun take this?'_

"We need to move on, princess Aya," the old, wise physician spoke. "We have many men to tend to. Though unfortunate, this is how this line of work just goes sometimes. You do what you can and keep moving forward."

The words of her sensei sunk deep into her mind as she looked all around her. A ward full of injured, groaning young men. She was still needed. She could still help; she could still contribute to saving other valuable lives. Her hands could still heal, even though she couldn't save the warlord.

But maybe some people just weren't meant to be saved.

**o0o0o0o**

It was dawn. The medical staff had finally finished tending to the wounded after spending all night in the hospital wing. It was a long, brutal night for everybody. They were instructed by the King to head back to their chambers and get some rest.

Aya walked down the castle halls, a somber expression painting her usually bright and jovial face. How could she possibly sleep after a night like that? It was the craziest, most hectic night of her life.

The King, naturally, had been the first to be informed about the warlord's death. According to her father, Rei was informed shortly after.

How was she to face him again? What could she possibly do or say in a situation like this? She felt helpless, insignificant, weak.

"Aya," a certain blonde girl spoke as she turned the corridor and finally found her friend. "We've been looking all over for you."

"You had us worried," Mami said as she embraced her fellow princess. Aya was the only one who got to enter the hospital wing last night, due to her apprenticeship with the castle physician. All her friends could do was wait in their chambers until she was finished with her work.

"Hey, Miyuu, Mami" the princess bleakly responded. Her eyes were devoid of energy and life, Miyuu noticed. This was the first time the chatelaine-in-training had ever seen her friend in this state.

"You've been up all night. Please, try to get some rest," Miyuu urged.

"How can I, Miyuu? My mind... it's still racing."

"It was a rough night but you did well," Mami added. "You should feel proud of all you did. You gave your best."

Yet, her best was still not good enough.

She looked out of one of the vast castle windows. Dark clouds were rolling in again, threatening to cover up the first few flecks of sunlight peaking over the horizon. Another storm was going to be brewing today.

From below, she could spot a few early risers of the town getting ready to start the new day. A few shops were opening and Aya could smell the fresh scent of bread coming from the town bakery. How could the rest of the world just continue on with their days as if nothing happened when her world felt like it was falling apart?

As she continued to look down at the civilians, she spotted a familiar figure clad in his usual midnight-blue robes. Rei was sitting alone on the rocks overlooking the water. Her heart sank as she observed him. _'What is he feeling right now?'_ she thought wistfully. His world was just turned upside down. Maybe he's even still in shock or disbelief over the news. He must be feeling extremely alone, that was for sure.

"I need to go see him," Aya suddenly said.

"Him? Who?" Mami asked, perplexed.

"Rei-kun."

"Aya— wait," Miyuu spoke but to no avail. The princess was already walking briskly down the halls, her mind made up on what she was going to do. "Ah, that girl..."

Aya walked down a few flights of stairs as she, too, walked into the town and towards the ocean. She wanted to see him, despite her current exhaustion. She wanted to let him know that she was here for him. She increased her pace towards the water, not wanting to miss him.

"Rei-kun," she called out as she finally stepped onto the rocks, notifying him of her presence.

He heard her gentle voice yet Rei did not move; his eyes just remained focused on the rolling waves. As he sat on the rocks, he propped his arms up on his bent knees. Aya stood behind him, observing his wide back and broad shoulders. She remained a good distance away as to respect his personal space.

"I'm truly, very sorry," she spoke again after a few moments of him not saying anything. The waves continued to gently wash onto the shore. The water was not as harsh during the morning hours. In the distance, the gray clouds could be seen drawing nearer to the town.

"Thank you," he finally said. "I heard you were with him."

"Yes," she replied softly. "We... _I_ couldn't save him. I'm so sorry."

She clutched onto her chest; her heart was hurting as she thought about the devastating loss of someone who wasn't even related to her. She couldn't possibly imagine how Rei was feeling, seeing as the warlord was his own flesh and blood. She wanted to give Rei his space to mourn yet she also wanted to comfort him. She had the sudden urge to console him, to hold him. But, right now, he just seemed so distant. He was in a place she couldn't reach.

"You did your best," Rei said bleakly, still looking out at the endless ocean. "That's all I could have hoped for."

Rei was still facing the truth. None of it seemed real to him, yet. His old man, as hard-headed and as tough as he was, was taken away from the world... _just like that_. All due to a short battle that was not supposed to have much violent combat, to begin with. It was supposed to be _him_ up in the mountains, in the first place. Katase was after _him_, right? That's what Commander Yamato had said upon their return. His father's death was his own fault, from the way Rei could see it. He should have fought harder to go up in the mountains. He should have never agreed to stay behind. He felt frustrated as regret washed over him. He bowed his head, burying his face in his arms.

"Rei-kun," Aya spoke gently as she finally mustered up the courage to approach him.

Rei felt dainty arms wrapping themselves around his body. Aya crouched down and held him from behind, resting her cheek against his shoulder. Her small hands clutched onto the soft, dark cloth covering his firm chest. _'She's warm,'_ Rei thought as he closed his eyes.

"I want you to know that I'll be here," she spoke as she continued to hold him. "You aren't alone."

After a few moments of being enveloped by her warmth, Rei finally turned around and found the strength to directly face the princess. He broke her embrace, finding slight disappointment when he no longer felt her comforting touch.

"Aya," he spoke lowly, his eyes scanning her melancholy face. She was still so beautiful, despite her hurting expression. "Thank you, but— I think I just need..." he trailed off, his slate eyes downcast.

"Need what? Please, let me know what I can do to help," she said, reaching out and taking his hands in hers. She gave them a gentle squeeze in attempts to comfort him.

"I think I... I need to be alone, for now," Rei replied, reluctantly letting go of her hands and pulling himself away. He looked away from her concerned face, feeling frustrated. He wanted her beside him but knew he was pretty pathetic right now. He didn't want her being around him in this moment of weakness. She shouldn't have to see this side of him. He hated receiving pity from others.

"Oh, right. O- Okay. I understand," Aya said, feeling a bit dejected.

She knew he needed to mourn in his own way. If he wanted to be left alone, she should respect his wishes, even though all she wanted right now was to remain by his side. Rei did not fail to see the disappointed look in her chestnut eyes. He inwardly cursed himself for pushing her away but he couldn't bear anyone to be around him right now.

"I- I'm sorry if I overstepped any boundaries," she apologized, giving a slight bow of her head. He felt rotten for dismissing her; she was offering him warmth while all he could do was coldly shun her away. Aya was too good of a person and definitely too good for someone like him.

She stood up from her kneeling position and slowly turned around, leaving Rei to mourn his loss by himself. This was how it had always been for him, he should be used to it by now.

Then why did watching Aya's back as she walked away make him feel even more empty inside?

**o0o0o0o**

A persistent knock at her door woke Aya from her slumber. She groaned as she gently rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes. What time was it? She must have passed out as soon as she got out of her bath, which was several hours ago. She hadn't even noticed that she fell asleep.

Aya sat up from her bed, smoothing down her dark locks. She looked outside and noticed that there was a torrential downpour currently going on. The clouds were so dark outside that she couldn't even guess if it was still daytime or not. She hoped that Rei had gone indoors by this time. She wondered how he was doing and how long she should leave him alone...

"Aya? Are you still asleep?" the princess recognized the voice outside her door to be her mother's.

"I'm awake now," she responded weakly. "Come in."

The Queen stepped into her daughter's room, eyeing her with concern.

"You've been asleep for hours, Aya," she spoke. "It's nearly dinnertime."

"It's that late? I'm sorry. It's just— I was up all night."

"It's alright, dear, I know. It's been an exhausting couple of hours for you," the Queen spoke as she approached Aya, gently stroking her dark hair. "So I've already informed the seamstress that we can reschedule the dress alterations for tomorrow morning instead and that we can continue with your dance lessons in the—"

"Mother, really?" Aya huffed in disbelief. She hopped out of bed, standing up before her mother. "Shouldn't wedding preparations be the last thing on our minds?"

"Aya, what do you mean? You are still getting married at the end of the summer, as planned," the Queen spoke firmly. She was taken aback with Aya's tone.

"No, mother. Our soldiers have suffered. We've experienced loss. Our town is at _war_," Aya said seriously. "Can't you see? This is not the time for a wedding."

"Well, what are you suggesting? That we _postpone_ it?"

"No, mother, you don't understand," Aya clarified. "It's time that I finally come forward about this matter."

"Why are you speaking that way? What do you mean?"

"I mean... I don't want to marry Akihito, mother," Aya finally said, expressing her true emotions for the first time. "I'm _not_ taking part in this wedding!"

"You can't mean that. You love Akihito."

"I'm not _in love_ with him. He's not the one for me."

"Aya, that's nonsense! Y- You're not thinking straight," the Queen stammered.

"This is the most sure I've been in my life," Aya replied, walking towards her door.

"Isn't this what you wanted?" her mother asked as Aya's back was turned towards her.

"No, this is what you and father wanted. Have you ever once considered _my_ feelings? What I _truly_ wanted?" she spoke before running out of the room, her eyes brimming with tears.

She ran down the hall, immediately heading for the stairwell. She needed to get out of the castle and she didn't care where she went. Save for Miyuu, this place was full of people who did not empathize with her. It seemed like they didn't even care to try to understand her feelings. More than ever, she felt caged in these castle walls.

She was almost at the door, she was so close. Then, she could disappear. As she turned the corner, she ran into a familiar prince, dashing straight into his arms.

"Aya!" he exclaimed in surprise, catching her. "You're always running around. What's going on this time?"

"A... Aki," she breathed, her eyes filled with a mild horror.

Akihito was the last person whom she wanted to see right now. Just seeing his kind, handsome face made her heart break. However, now that he was here, Aya thought it best that she should come forward with her thoughts. She thought it would be unfair to keep him in the dark for much longer.

"What's wrong?" he asked, cupping her petite face in his large hands. He wiped away tears that were currently running down her fair cheeks. "Were you about to run outside? You can't go out there, it's pitch dark and it's pouring."

"I'm so sorry, I—" she sobbed, more tears falling. "Aki, I should have been honest with you." She was finally brave enough to convey her true feelings to her supposed fiancé.

"What do you mean?" he asked, concerned. "What's all this about?"

"The truth is... I've thought about this long and hard. Aki... I— I can't return your feelings," she spoke, her sobbing coming to a steady halt.

"W- What?" he breathed, a nervous half-chuckle escaping his lips. '_No, Aya, please... don't say what I think you're about to say,'_ he thought in dread.

"I can't marry you. I'm so, so sorry, Aki," she repeated as she pulled herself away from his arms.

"A- Aya..." Akihito whispered as he stared at the person he was arranged to marry.

The prince was speechless. He knew that maybe she had some doubts about her feelings but he didn't expect a flat out rejection like this. She looked on at him with teary eyes, her heart breaking into even more pieces as the silence grew longer.

Aya turned away from him, finding it unbearable to be facing him another moment longer. This time, he did not stop her. He stared at her back as she ran from him once more, likely for the last and final time.

"I lost you, didn't I?" Akihito said to himself after being left alone. "Well, I suppose you were never mine, to begin with."

**o0o0o0o**

She ran. She went as fast as her legs could take her, careful not to trip over her robes. Castle guards were sent out to find her but she was careful to evade them, knowing every nook and cranny of the town. By now, the tears streaming down her face were indistinguishable from the rain drops.

Aya clutched her arms as she finally slowed her pace and dismally walked through the heavy rain. It was dark, she was alone, and she was soaked from head to toe.

"Why did I run away like that?" she said to herself, looking back. The castle was well in the distance by now as she approached the town's borders.

She found shelter under a strong oak tree as she sat beneath its branches. No one would bother her here, as she was far from the busy road. The rain had ceased now, but the pitter-patter of the raindrops could still be heard as they fell from the large leaves above her.

Never had she ever felt this alone. Everyone expects the life of a princess to be grand, luxurious, and, in some ways, simple. She was expected to follow orders and to be a role model to the townspeople. All of that was out the window, ever since Aya realized that she wanted more in life than to be princess of Kanazawa. She was a caged bird and she felt like no one could possibly empathize with her. She was always surrounded by her friends and, even though they always didn't see eye to eye, she knew her parents cared about her. She knew she should feel grateful but she still just couldn't help but feel depressed about her situation.

She had a right to be sad, right? She just told her childhood friend that she could not return his love. They were probably never going to be ever to go back to how things were.

"Stupid wedding, stupid marriage, stupid Aki... Why did you have to confess your feelings?" she muttered to herself, knowing that it was irrational to blame Akihito.

She picked up a pebble and angrily threw in into a nearby puddle, hearing a small "splash" as it did so. She was just being emotional at the time, she didn't mean to blame Akihito. She hoped that he wouldn't hate her too much, but she understood if he would never want to speak to her ever again. After all, she deserved it.

She hugged her knees to her chest as she wallowed in her self-pity. She rested her chin on top of her knees, listening to the crashing of the waves in the distance. The ocean reminded her of Rei; it was unyielding, unpredictable, strong. She wondered if he was safe inside. She hoped she could see him tomorrow.

She softly shook her head from side to side. Why would her mind always wander to that brooding boy? He was a bit cold towards her earlier but she knew that he had every right to be. Still, she wanted to hold him longer. She remembered the feeling of her chest pressed against his broad back, the warmth of his chest through his robes, the smell of the ocean in his hair. She longed to reach for him again but maybe he was just too far away for her to grasp.

She sighed. How was she already thinking of another man after just terminating her engagement with another? She really was the worst person ever, huh? Aya noticed that it was getting pretty late and the bright moon was visible in the now clear night sky. She had been outside of the castle for nearly an hour now. Her robes were still damp; she figured she was likely going to catch a cold if she stayed out any longer.

"I guess I'd better head back," she reluctantly said as she stood from the damp ground. "Mother's going to tear me a new one..." she sighed heavily, dreading her return.

Then, a rustle. She turned around towards the dark bushes and thought she saw a large shadow.

"Who's there?" she asked, her eyes searching the woody area. Silence. She figured it was just her mind playing tricks on her, or perhaps it was a family of mountain deer. After not hearing a response for a minute, Aya slowly turned around to head back to the castle.

"My, my, must be my lucky day," an eerie voice suddenly called out from the shadows, causing Aya to jump. "Looks like we have a lost, little mouse."

"Who said that? Sh- Show yourself," she stammered, taking a step back.

"To a princess as lovely as you, gladly," the dark figure stated, stepping out from the trees. Out stepped a tall man with brown hair and green eyes. There was a smug smirk gracing his lips.

Immediately, Aya recognized the forest green color of the man's robes. This man was a part of the Katase clan but, somehow, he seemed different from the rest of the soldiers. He did not wear heavy armor but, instead, wore high-quality fabric. Gold pieces adorned his neck and his wrists. He carried a single weapon at his side, which was a katana safely tucked away in its sheath. There was a certain air of grandiosity surrounding this man; he was not gruff like the other soldiers.

"That must mean," Aya whispered as she analyzed the man. "Y- You must be..."

"Stunned by how handsome I am?" he laughed. "I am Katase Kazuki, leader of my clan, and I'm here to whisk you away, Princess Aya."

"What— No, I won't—" she began to say, her eyes wide with shock. He took a step forward into the moonlight.

"Before you decline my offer, princess, I'm quite afraid to say that you don't really have much of a choice."

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter VI — Far from Reach — End.**

**Siopao:** Please kindly review! I love hearing from you guys! Also shoot me a message, I'd love to talk about the GALS! sequel with you all! ^^


	7. Warlord Rei Otohata

**Siopao:** _(4/22/2020) _Ahh, no reviews for my previous chapter. :( Maybe it was because no one expected me to update so soon in between chapters, lol. Well, this marks my 5th week of staying at home so I'm just trying to make good use of the extra free time I have. Make sure that you have already read **_Chapter 6_** before you read this chapter today!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Gals!_

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter VII — ****Warlord Rei Otohata**

**By: Screaming Siopao**

_-Aya's internal dialogue/POV-_

_Ow... my head._ It felt heavy as I attempted to raise it, as if I had just gotten hit or taken a fall. My eyes struggled to flutter open and I winced at the bright light as it entered my pupils. Was it morning? What happened last night? I tried to recall the events but my memory felt foggy.

I was... running. That's right. I was running away from the castle after rebelling at mom and confronting Aki. My heart ached all over again as I remembered the face he made during my confession. I... I told Aki that I didn't love him back. If I didn't know any better, I'd say his heart was breaking that exact moment.

It was raining, I recalled. It was dark, I was cold, I was soaked from head to toe. I heard a strange voice, too. That's right... Someone came out of the woods while I was sitting at the edge of town. They must have taken me here. Presumably, they knocked me out, somehow, seeing as I don't recall anything about how I wound up in this place.

I looked down. I was currently resting on a futon on the floor, covered by a thick, comfortable blanket. It was really warm, actually. I peered underneath the blanket and saw that I had been changed into a new set of dry robes. They were quite beautiful, to my surprise. The soft, pink fabric reminded me of the blooming sakura. Did this mean that the weird man from yesterday... changed my clothes? I blushed as I felt a sudden surge of embarrassment. Not to mention, I felt quite violated, too.

I looked around me, observing the small, quaint room with tatami mats and a sliding door. There were no windows in this room, to my disappointment. I had to get out of here before that strange man from last night came back.

Now, if I just knew where I was...

"Look who's finally awake. You're a bit of a late riser, hm?" a familiar voice called out as someone entered the room. That voice!

I shifted my body as I was still resting on the futon and quickly faced the man. I didn't get a good look at him last night due to the darkness... but seeing him now, I could tell that he was from a family of money. His forest green robes were made of an expensive silk and the chains around his neck appeared to be made from genuine gold. If I recalled correctly, this man said that his name was Katase Kazuki, the notorious leader of the enemy daimyo. A smug expression was painted on his face which, I'd hate to admit, was actually quite handsome. He didn't look much older than I was, to be honest.

"You..." I managed to blurt out, despite my nervousness. "Where am I?"

"Don't fret, princess. You're at my esteemed estate," he spoke with a small, confident smile.

"How did I get here? I... I blacked out," I said, trying to recall last night's events.

"I guess I wouldn't expect you to remember how you got here after that deep sleep you went through. That chemical I had you smell is quite powerful. You didn't even wake during your bath last night."

"B- Bath?" I asked in disbelief, my eyes growing wide with shock. I felt my face grow hot with embarrassment. The man chuckled at my disposition. Both his smile and laugh were a bit charming, I had to admit. He didn't have the disposition of a killer, from what I could see.

"Why, of course. You were soaked so I couldn't let you catch a cold. Don't worry, my maids were the ones who bathed and changed you. Do you really think that I'm that indecent?" he rhetorically asked, a joking tone evident in his voice. "Which reminds me— is the yakuta to your liking?"

"Well, yes, I suppose."

"I'm glad. Royalty as beautiful as yourself surely should be wearing the best of the best," he said with a smile. I felt uneasy. Why was my kidnapper being so kind to me? You would expect a prisoner to be locked up in a cell or dungeon of some sort, right? Yet, here I was... getting properly bathed and dressed in a luxurious castle.

"Are you... _really_ warlord Katase?" I asked skeptically.

"I am," he said with a glimmer in his emerald eyes. "You still don't believe me?" he asked as he ran a hand through his nutmeg brown hair.

"I just don't see what you'd possibly want from me," I spoke, looking down at the floor.

Just then, Katase knelt down to the floor so that he was at eye level with me. He lifted my chin with his index finger, forcing me to look straight into his gemstone green eyes. Despite the malice in them, I could somehow see a form of gentleness... Maybe it was a trick of the light. I felt his warm breath on my cheek as he was only a few centimeters away.

"Think of yourself as being on a trip right now," he said, his lips close to mine. I shook myself from his hold. This man definitely had no respect for personal boundaries.

"My- My father won't take kindly to the news, once he finds out that you've taken me!" I tried to say as boldly as I could. He chuckled at my attempt to sound brave.

"Is that so? Well, with any luck, my messenger should be arriving at your castle gates any moment now," he said with a smug smirk.

"What? You _want_ them to know where I am?" I asked, raising a confused brow. "What's your plan?"

"My plan, princess, is to wipe out those who have wronged the Katase family," he scowled, the playful smirk on his face disappearing. "One member of the Otohata family at a time. It's been years but I am now finally strong enough to avenge my father's death."

"W- What?" I whispered, my face falling. _Rei_...

"Your task is easy. You are simply... well, _bait,_" he said as he stroked my hair, tucking a stray strand behind my ear. I flinched; it felt wrong to be touched by him like this.

"Bait?" I asked, frozen in my place.

"The king and queen will surely send someone to fetch their dear daughter. My messenger is to relay to them that I only seek one man. Once Otohata Rei comes, we will let you go. I simply needed to draw him out of Kanazawa lands, alone. After the exchange, I promise to let you return home unharmed. I have no intentions of hurting such a beautiful woman," Katase said as he held a lock of my hair to his lips and kissed it gently. I tried not to react to his intimate touch.

"But you... you're going to hurt Rei-kun... aren't you?" I asked reluctantly.

"It's all in the name of war. It wouldn't have had to come to this, if he had just showed up to the mountains, as initially anticipated," he replied as he stood up and turned to exit towards the door.

"Don't harm him!" I pleaded before he could leave the room. I clutched onto the bottom hem of his robes, in attempts to keep him from walking away. "Warlord Gin is dead! Haven't you already killed enough?" I asked, hot tears brimming in my eyes.

"My task does not end with one man," he simply replied, his forest eyes turning dark and cold as he looked down at me. "Otohata Rei was the target from the start. I wanted to kill him first, to make warlord Gin feel the pain of losing his only family. You know, let him have a taste of his own medicine. But now, I will end the Otohata lineage once and for all."

My mouth dropped with horror as he revealed his plan.

"No! T- Take me instead. Call off the trade! I'll remain your prisoner so, please..." I suddenly blurted. I had no idea what I was saying but didn't know what else to do. I couldn't let this man hurt Rei.

"As much as I'd enjoy having such a lovely maiden around, you are _not_ the one I'm after, princess," he replied, his playful smirk returning.

I was silent. How do you bargain with a blood-lust man? All Katase wanted was vengeance. All his hatred for the Otohata daimyo must have snowballed after all these years. He's been physically training and mentally preparing for this day. There was no reasoning with him, at this point; his mind was made up. Sadness and loss had completely enveloped his heart. After all these years... he must have been really lonely.

"I'm begging you," I said more calmly, feeling empathy for my captor. I bowed as low as I could, touching my forehead to the cool tatami mats. "Let the anger in your heart go and show mercy. I know you are capable of compassion, Katase-san— I can _feel_ it. Taking more lives will not give you the peace that you seek."

"Hn," I heard him grunt lowly. I couldn't see his expression due to my bowed position. Then, he sighed deeply.

"Please," I pleaded sincerely when he did not say anything else.

"Someone should be stopping by soon with your meal. And I wouldn't get any ideas about trying to escape, princess. My palace would be like a maze to you and the estate is surrounded by woods. You really would have nowhere to go." And, with that, Katase left the room.

No... Katase wants to meet Rei under his own terms which will definitely end in some sort of bloodshed. Rei definitely can't come here. It's a trap. I have to warn him, somehow. But, how? Even if I _could_ escape the castle, it would take me several hours to get back to Kanazawa. It really seemed impossible.

I'm hoping that Yuuya and Commander Yamato will both realize that this is a set up and that they don't send Rei to come get me. _Please_, Rei-kun... don't come for me. I wouldn't know what I would do if you got hurt because of me.

It was you who made me realize that I had to be true to my heart and should not marry Akihito.

It was you who allowed me to see the realities of this world, including war and life outside of the confining castle walls.

It was you who made me feel so free in such a long time.

It was you... who made me fall in love for the very first time.

_If I ever get the chance to see you again, I'm going to tell you how I feel. _

**o0o0o0o**

_-Normal POV-_

"Rei, let's think about this for a bit," Yuuya spoke calmly as Rei briskly stood from his seat at the war council.

Currently, a few select members of the war council were having a quick meeting in the grand hall. Just moments ago, a mysterious message arrived to the castle gates. It was a message from Katase addressed specifically to Rei, demanding that he show up to a given location deep in the mountains in exchange for a certain princess's life.

"There's nothing to think about," Rei spat, a sense of urgency in his voice. "Katase's messenger was clear. An exchange for the princess's freedom is to be made. I'm the one he wants."

"But Yuuya's right," Commander Yamato spoke. "It's clearly a trap. He wants you to go alone and I'm betting there will be another ambush."

"And what if it _is_ a trap? Do you have any other ideas?" Rei coldly asked. All was silent in the room.

"You're being brash. You just went through a huge loss and aren't thinking straight," Yuuya said, referring to the death of warlord Gin. "If we just all calmed down and thought this through for a moment—"

"We don't have a moment. The messenger said to arrive at the location by sundown. I need to ride out now, if I can get to her in time."

"You make a good point," Yamato thought, placing his hand to his chin, deep in thought. "We have a time restraint. Katase must have done that on purpose so that we couldn't sit down and think out a good plan."

"The plan is that I'm leaving right now," Rei spoke with urgency. "Ready my horse," he said to one of his soldiers. The man acknowledged the order and quickly left the meeting hall. "This is my responsibility. I've taken my place as warlord now that father has passed and protecting Kanazawa was our objective," Rei said with resolution as he strode towards the exit.

"Rei, wait—" Yuuya said as he stood, reaching out an arm as his friend was sliding open the door. "If you go alone, there's a high chance that you'll die!"

"You're my vassal, aren't you, Yuuya? Have a bit more faith in me. I'm taking that bastard down," Rei spoke coldly before disappearing into the hallway.

"Let him go," Yamato said, holding Yuuya back. "His pride is too strong at the moment. We will plan for a back-up team to secretly follow him, in case he needs to be pulled out of a bad situation. The princess's life is on the line, too. We need to send soldiers to ensure she gets home safely."

"Ah, you're right. Good thinking, Commander," Yuuya spoke. "He's just not thinking with a cool head right now. I'm guessing he's still in shock."

"Don't worry. We'll have eyes on him at all times without him even knowing."

**o0o0o0o**

_"This is all my fault,"_ Rei thought as his horse quickly galloped through the woody mountains. "_I pushed her away when she was on the rocks with me. She was just trying to comfort me and I told her I wanted to be alone."_

He remembered the warmth of her body as she embraced him from behind; her chest was gently pressed against his back, providing temporary comfort as he grieved. He longed to feel that warmth from her again. He'd do anything to feel her healing touch once more.

_"It was my job to protect her. I lost sight of what was important."_

Rei tightly held onto his steed's reigns as he sped through the trees. It had already been several hours since he started his journey but still had a ways to go. It was in the middle of afternoon now and the sun was hot on his back. Though both he and his horse were tired, Rei needed to keep this rapid pace up if he was going to make it to the planned meeting spot on time.

_"I told her to leave when I should have told her to stay beside me."_

Rei knew that he needed to step to the plate, now. He knew that what Yuuya said earlier was right. He _did_ experience a terrible shock with the loss of his father, naturally. It couldn't be helped, after all, since his father was his only living family.

He had fallen into a pit of depression but now realized that he didn't have time to linger on his loss. Rei inherited the title _"warlord"_ of the Otohata clan, now that his father had passed. He knew that it was time for him to keep their legacy going, no matter no difficult the circumstances. They were currently in the middle of war; he needed to take the initiative and protect those who needed him. Saving Aya was his first task as warlord. There was no time for weakness. He couldn't let the people down. He couldn't let _her_ down.

_"That bastard Katase. I won't forgive him if he harms even a single hair on her head. Aya, wait for me."_

All this time knowing the princess, he was daunted by the fact that she was engaged to be married to someone else. Due to this, he kept his distance from her, not wanting to develop feelings. After all, in a situation like that, you would inevitably just get hurt in the end. He's already had his share of heartbreak; he did not want to be involved in romance when his mind should be focusing on war.

However, none of his efforts to distance himself from her worked. Everywhere he turned, she was there to greet him with a sheepish wave of her hand or a mousy _"hello."_ And, during the hours he did not see her, he secretly wished that he would turn the corner and bump into her. She encompassed every corner of his mind and he did not even realize how empty he felt when she wasn't around.

Despite just recently meeting her, he could not deny a natural attraction towards Aya. It was more than just physical, too. It was a magnetic pull, drawing him closer whether it was his will or not. Her kind eyes invited him, her radiant smile enticed him, and her warm touch melted his heart. He was completely and irrevocably enchanted by her.

He decided that he didn't care anymore— engaged or not, he had already fallen for the princess. He didn't want that hurdle to get in the way of his feelings anymore. He no longer cared that she was to marry Akihito— Rei finally decided to get his feelings across. How could he just sit idly by as the person he longed to be with married the wrong man?

Rei wanted to be honest with his feelings. All this time, he had been denying himself. He did not want to hold back anymore.

_"I can't die, yet. I need to survive. When I get the chance, I'm finally going to show you how I feel."_

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter VII — Warlord Rei Otohata — End.**

**Siopao:** This chapter was a bit shorter but I think it was a good place to cut off. Please continue to support & kindly leave a review. :) See you next time!

Also, Mihona-sensei is releasing volume 1 of "_GALS!"_ (the sequel manga) this Friday, April 24th! Grab your copies, if you're able to! I unfortunately cannot order it because I do not have a Japanese Am*zon account.

There has been quite a bit of Aya x Rei in the sequel manga. University Otohata-kun has been so sweet to our beloved Aya (for example, he gently touches her face quite often! Kyaaa!). I feel like Mihona-sensei has realized how many of us Aya x Rei shippers actually exist out there and is finally trying to satisfy our cravings, lol.


	8. The Healer

**Siopao:** _(5/21/2020) _Thanks for the reviews! Please enjoy this chapter, it's a bit longer than I usually write.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Gals!_

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter VIII — The Healer**

**By: Screaming Siopao**

"Princess Aya, let's go," Katase spoke as he slid open the door of Aya's tiny "prison" room.

"Where are we going?" she asked, eyebrows furrowed with worry.

She had been sitting idly in a corner for hours without any insight about what was going on. There were no windows in her little room so she didn't even have any speculation as to what the time of day was. If she had to guess, though, it was likely later in the day since she had been sitting idly for many hours.

"It's time," was his simple reply.

"You mean... for the exchange," she clarified, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Un," he grunted. His eyes then shifted to the other side of her small room as two untouched trays of food caught his attention. They were the meals from earlier this morning as well as from the late afternoon. "Princess, why won't you eat?"

"How can I?" she mumbled with bitterness in her voice. "How could I possibly have an appetite when I know that you're going to hurt Rei-kun?"

Katase sighed.

"How could you possibly risk your own health for that man? Isn't he just a warlord? According to my intel, Otohata's arrival to Kanazawa was not even two weeks ago."

"W- Well, the short time-frame does not matter. He's my friend, now. I've got a right to worry about him," she defended, a slight rose blush rising on her fair cheeks. She looked away and crossed her arms in defense.

"Hm? Perhaps you care for him in another manner?" Katase curiously asked, noting her slight embarrassment.

"That isn't the point of this. I simply cannot watch you take a life. It isn't the answer."

"I see no other way to honor my father," he simply spoke. "Now enough of this, princess. It's time for us to go."

"I won't go with you," Aya replied sternly, standing her ground. She remained unmoved as she sat in her corner.

"If you won't come willingly then I will have no choice but resort to force," Katase threatened.

"Then so be it," she protested as she remained seated on the tatami-covered floors.

"Bind her," Katase commanded the guard who was standing closest to the room. "But be careful not to harm her."

"How chivalrous of you," Aya sarcastically spoke as the guard then came into her room and tied her hands behind her back using a strong rope. The guard then forced her to stand up by gruffly lifting her up by the arm.

The guard pulled Aya along through the vast halls as they followed Katase's lead. This was the farthest she'd been able to travel through the castle, seeing as she was only allowed to leave her room to go to the small toilet room next to her chambers (with a guard posted right outside the door, of course). Despite being tied up by the enemy, she couldn't deny that Katase had sensible style. The castle, from what she could see, was eloquently decorated with tasteful art. He was definitely a man of luxury.

Finally, she was dragged outdoors. She took in a breath of fresh air, her first today. It was sunset, she noticed. Had she really been locked up all day?

They walked a bit of a distance further from the estate, she guessed maybe a kilometer or slightly more. Where were they headed? She could hear a faint babbling of a creek nearby. It soothed her nerves just a bit.

"He should be here any moment, now," Katase spoke to his men.

And then, as if on cue, Aya heard the furious stomping of horse hooves coming from a distance. The sound of the steed's trek grew closer with each passing second. From the sound of it, there must have been just one horse approaching.

_'No,'_ Aya thought, dread washing over her. _'Don't tell me he actually came for me.'_

Then, moments later, she looked upon the face of the person whom she did_ not_ want to see.

"Rei-kun..." she whispered, mortified, as he and his horse emerged from the thick cover of the trees. "Rei-kun, no!" she said louder, startling the guard who held her by the arm. "Turn around! Please, leave now!"

"Aya," Rei spoke with slight shock, analyzing the situation. Aya's hands were bound behind her as she was held by a large, burly soldier. Katase stood a few meters ahead of Aya while more of his soldiers enclosed the wooded area.

"Well, nice of you to join us, Otohata Rei," Katase spoke as he looked off into the sunset. "And just in the nick of time."

"If you've hurt her, I'll kill you," Rei snapped as he dismounted his horse, ignoring Katase's greeting.

"How terrible of you to think I'd harm her," Katase said as he walked towards Aya, cupping his hand against her cheek. She flinched at his unwarranted touch and squirmed to move her head away. "She has been treated like the royalty she is. Isn't that right, lovely princess?"

"You— Don't touch her," Rei said between gritted teeth as he took a step forward. He kept a hand on the hilts of his dual swords, which were both currently mounted on his back. His slate eyes were dark and intensely focused. Aya had never seen his eyes filled with such rage.

"Oh? What's this?" Katase piqued in amusement as he observed Rei's defensive disposition. "How interesting. You didn't just come here because of orders, now, did you?"

"What the hell are you droning on about?" Rei grunted, his eyebrows furrowing.

"You've come on a more personal vendetta, it seems. Don't tell me that you've actually _fallen_ for the princess?"

"W- What..." Aya whispered, her eyes softly eyeing Rei's tense form. _'Is that true? It can't be, Katase's just trying to play mind games.'_

"Tch," Rei spat, not saying much else. He seemed to be avoiding eye contact with Aya now but she felt hopeful that he did not deny the claim. Katase could sense that he had definitely struck a nerve by bringing up the topic so he continued with his provocation.

"My, my, how complicated. But who could blame you? She is a legendary beauty. But what a pity since I hear she's betrothed. How unfortunate for you," Katase spoke in a taunting manner.

"Shut up," Rei spat, his annoyance increasing.

"Let's face it. You don't stand a chance with her."

With this final statement, Rei had unleashed his twin blades and had them pointed straight towards Katase.

"I'm here to retrieve the princess and bring her home," Rei spoke lowly as he readied his stance to charge. "Neither you or any of your cronies aren't getting in the way, bastard."

"My Lord!" one of Katase's nearby soldiers exclaimed. "Ready to commence our attack on your command!"

"No, he's mine. None of you are to intervene at any point," the warlord commanded as he unsheathed his steel katana. "I've been waiting to take Otohata's head for years."

"No—!" Aya exclaimed as she attempted to lurch forward. However, she was still bound by ropes as the guard tightly held her in place. She felt utterly useless.

Both Rei and Katase charged at each other full speed, neither of the men holding back their fury. The initial contact of enemy swords had now occurred, signifying the commencement of their war. Each were driven with passion for vengeance, for each had lost a father due to the grueling battles. But Rei had another reason for also fighting today. His eyes quickly glanced toward Aya, ensuring she remained safe and out of harms way.

_'I'm bringing you home with me, today, Aya. I'll protect you, no matter what,'_ he thought as his blades clashed with the enemy's.

Aya looked on as the two warlords fought one another with both intensity and precision. Each strike of Katase's larger sword was skillfully blocked by Rei's twin blades, while the latter would return a counter strike back. It went on for several minutes, each warrior was silent, and the only sound that could be heard was the clashing of steel against steel. It was a constant dance of offense and defense and neither was willing to back down.

"So, what's it like being an orphan? Now you know what it feels like to have a father murdered in cold blood," Katase spoke as he was close enough to Rei. Both their blades were currently pressed against together, each warlord trying to push through.

"That was over a decade ago. My father did what he thought was needed," Rei spat back, digging his feet into the ground.

"He needed to murder my father right before the eyes of his young son?" Katase scoffed as he stood his ground. "How classless."

Rei flinched, surprise catching him for just a moment. He had no idea that Katase witnessed his own father's murder as a child. His father never mentioned that part of the story. No wonder he developed such a blood-lust hatred toward the Otohata daimyo.

"It would have been nice to kill you first so that your old man could suffer the loss that I went through," Katase continued on. "But I guess you'll just have to follow in his footsteps."

Both their swords collided, causing a loud ringing to reverberate through the air. This shrill noise caused by sharp blades always made Aya cringe. To her, this was equivalent to the sound of death.

The warlords each stepped back to put some distance between one another. Sweat was running down both their temples as their chests heaved with strained effort to catch their breaths. Rei cursed himself as he struggled to breath in the thin mountain-top air. The whole day's journey by horse also seemed to have tired him out more than he anticipated and his adrenaline rush was beginning to wear off.

He couldn't give up now, though. He needed to keep fighting, for Aya's sake. Rei glared at Katase with menacing eyes; he _needed_ to finish this now. Aya noticed, too, that Rei held the blood-lust eyes of a killer warlord who was not willing to back down. Both of these men were ready to fight to the death.

"Please, Katase, call this off, I'm begging you," Aya pleaded to the warlord, desperate to get through to him while he took his moment of rest. "No one has to get hurt today."

"Your pleas go in vain, princess," Katase grunted in between heavy huffs. "Your savior is weary from his travels. This will end soon."

Katase once again charged forward with intensity and Rei responded with equal speed towards his opponent, each hand gripping a dragon blade. Rei's perception sharpened as he saw an opening for him to strike Katase but that's when he also caught another glimpse of Aya's face— it was uncharacteristically melancholy as she looked on at the battle. Her usually-bright eyes were sorrowful and her lips were twisted into a wistful frown. He recalled how much she would talk about her disdain for war and violence. It must have been really difficult for her to watch this fight unfolding...

"Eyes on me," Katase gruffly spoke as he approached Rei, breaking the warlord's untimely trance.

Rei immediately snapped his attention back into the battle but it was too late. In a fraction of a second, Katase swiftly swung his long sword and successfully slashed the flesh on Rei's chest.

"Rei-kun— No—!" Aya shouted as she fell to her knees.

"Ugh," Rei grunted as he fell to the ground. A large, gaping wound marred the left side of his chest, despite him trying to evade the swing at the last possible moment. If he hadn't acted to dodge the blade at all, the attack would likely have been fatal. He clutched his chest with his hand, blood staining his skin and robes. He felt weak and lightheaded but he still had to fight. He struggled a bit but he forced himself to get up.

"Damn it," Katase grunted as he, too, unexpectedly found himself kneeling on the ground, clutching his right shoulder. "W- When did your blade touch me? And it's my dominant arm, too. Bastard... he's quicker than I thought." He attempted to put pressure on the large gash running across his upper arm in attempts to slow the bleeding. Blood, nevertheless, continued to spill out and stained the dirt beneath him.

"Sir!" one of Katase's soldier's. "Your commands!"

"I said none of you are to intervene, didn't I?" Katase repeated, gritting his teeth. However, he didn't know if he could actually continue fighting since his right arm's mobility was now severely compromised.

"You're hurt!" Aya shouted as she looked on at the two men. "Please, Katase, release me. I can help!"

"Sir?" the guard supervising Aya spoke.

"Unbind her. The deal was she goes free when Otohata arrives alone," Katase grunted, still clutching onto his arm.

The guard did what he was ordered and set Aya free. Then, without a moment's delay, Katase found the princess kneeling on the ground beside him as she frantically began tearing at her silky robes.

"W- What are you—" he began to say, his eyes wide with shock. He had expected her to quickly run to Rei's side or maybe even abandon the entire scene altogether.

"Hurry, I need to cover your wound up with a pressure patch," she quickly stated as she took his arm and supported its weight. He winced as she forced his arm to prop up. She then took the cloth that she had just ripped from her clothes and began wrapping it around Katase's wounded shoulder region.

"Ugh," he grunted as she tied it tightly around his arm. He felt his muscles writhing in pain.

"Just endure it a bit longer," she murmured as she quickly worked.

"Why... Why are you doing this?" Katase asked as he looked before the skillful girl tending to his wounds. He had no idea that she had medicinal capabilities to begin with. "Why are you helping me?"

"It's my duty. It's the least I can do since I don't have the capability to stop the fighting. I took an oath I would help the wounded during this war, it doesn't matter who," she simply said. "I can't just simply walk past someone who is clearly suffering."

"I don't know if you are wise or foolish for that," he spoke lowly as she finished wrapping the cloth in a secure fashion.

"There. It will begin to clot soon. You will need to see your physician as soon as you get back to your estate or else this will get infected," she urged. "The cut is... quite deep."

"As expected from the dragon blade," Katase said, eyeing his enemy across the way.

"Ah, Rei—" Aya said, turning her attention to the other injured warlord. By this point, he had used his remaining strength to prop himself up against a tree as he clutched his chest.

She quickly ran to his side and noticed that his head was hanging low— he was barely conscious and was on the brink of completely passing out, to her dismay. She had no time to panic, however. She knew she had to work quick to help him. She knelt down on the ground beside him, not caring that her legs were getting dirty. She placed a delicate hand on his shoulder and gave it a quick shake in attempts to keep him awake.

"Rei-kun! I'm here," she announced with a bit of trepidation in her voice. She used her other hand to lift his face, "I- I'm going to help you, now. Please, stay with me."

She analyzed his wound, finding it more serious than she initially anticipated. Katase had sliced right through Rei's yukata and into the muscle of his left chest and shoulder. Quickly and without a second thought, Aya removed the cloth covering Rei's torso to better analyze the deep wound. It would be more complicated to get this patched up, she feared. She ripped off another large piece of cloth from her robes and pressed it against the gaping wound.

"Oh, Rei-kun," she sobbed softly as she kept her hands pressed against the injury in attempts to stop the bleeding. It was to no avail, as the blood continued to gush out onto her fingers. '_A major artery must have been nicked,'_ she thought. "I'm so, _so_ sorry. This is all my fault."

_'There's no way I can treat him. Katase's estate is too far away and Rei would lose too much blood by the time I got him there. I- I don't know what to do,' _she hopelessly thought to herself as she continued applying pressure on his wound.

"Aya," he muttered weakly as his eyes struggled to open. "You... You're safe."

"Rei-kun!" she exclaimed, tears brimming on her eyes. "Please, don't force yourself. You're badly hurt. I need to get you out of here."

"B- But the battle..." he grunted, straining to sit upright. He inwardly cursed himself for getting beat down after just one blow; it must have really been a critical hit. He let this happen to himself, since he foolishly got distracted during the fight with Katase. "I need to protect you," he continued.

"No! No more fighting, please," Aya pleaded as she shook her head. Pain was evident in her voice, Rei could discern that much. "I won't let you fight, no matter what."

The warlord looked on at this caring, selfless person who was currently tending to him. It may have been due to all the blood loss but he could have sworn that she had vast, white, feathery wings on her back; to him, she was God-sent. He'd always viewed her on a pedestal, ever since the first day they met.

Rei was weak but managed to force his right hand up to touch Aya's delicate face. His slender fingers lingered on her soft cheek, catching the stray tears that spilled over her sad, glistening eyes.

"You're... so beautiful, Princess Aya," he said breathlessly. Her eyes went wide with wonder. "I wonder sometimes... if you're an angel. You always seemed too bright for me."

"What are you saying, Rei-kun? You— You're just talking nonsense because of your injury," Aya spoke as she gently brushed a few strands of raven hair away from Rei's half-open eyes.

"I mean it. Also, there's something important I wanted to tell you..." he continued on, his low voice a mere whisper in the air.

"We can talk about it later," Aya interrupted his speech. She didn't like how he was talking. It's as if he were giving up in his final moments. "Let's get you out of here, first. We can take your horse, if you think you're okay to ride. Can you stand?"

"Ah, yes, I think so..."

"My Lord," Katase's soldiers surrounding the area spoke, awaiting their warlord's commands. "Shall we neutralize them?"

"No," Katase strictly commanded as he clutched his right arm, touching the area that Aya had just tended to. "Let them be. We are both critically hurt and a compromised fight is not the one I'm looking forward to."

"But, they're getting away, sir," one of soldiers said as they all looked on at the princess attempting to help Rei stand on his feet while using herself as a crutch. Katase looked on at the two, analyzing the scene. He couldn't believe what he was about to say next.

"Otohata," Katase called out firmly. This caused Rei to look back at his enemy. "I'm calling a truce, for now. I'll also leave Kanazawa alone, rest assured."

"K- Katase," Aya mouthed as she also looked back at the other warlord.

"It has nothing to do with you. I still hate your damn guts but... you can thank the princess. She may have just saved your life."

"You don't have to tell me that," Rei grunted as he tightened his protective hold on Aya.

"Until we cross paths again," Katase bade. "Next time, I won't go so easy on you."

"Likewise," Rei replied blankly. Aya then helped Rei to mount the horse.

"Katase-san," she said as she turned to the warlord and bowed lowly. "Thank you. I knew it all along, that you had kindness in you. Thank you for choosing peace."

"Tch," Katase scoffed as he looked away from the bowing princess. "You've made me soft, somehow. Leave now, before I change my mind."

"I look forward to our next meeting. I think... we would be good friends," she bade with a soft smile as she, too, mounted the horse and sat in the space in front of Rei.

With that, the two started their downward descent from the mountain without saying another word.

"Is this really okay, my Lord?" asked one of Katase's vassals as they all looked on silently.

"I suddenly lost my desire to fight. After all, she helped me. Wouldn't it be dirty to strike him down after her kindness?" Katase said.

The warlord looked on at the retreating backs of the "enemy." He could have sworn that he felt a slight envious twinge beginning to stir within him. In spite of him, Katase had grown a bit fond of a certain captured princess. He didn't expect such a turn of events.

"That Princess Aya is, indeed, an interesting one," Katase said to himself. "She somehow got to me, didn't she? Even _I_ ended up doing something unexpected..."

**o0o0o0o**

"Rei-kun, please hang in there for a bit longer," Aya pleaded as she tightly held onto the reigns while steadily steering the horse down the mountain. It had only been a few minutes since departing from Katase but Rei was already starting to feel exhausted. "There's a stream of water nearby, we can stop and rest there."

"Alright," he mumbled as his head hung low. He was putting some of his wait onto her shoulders.

Then, in a moment, they heard hooves approaching. Aya halted the horse as the two listened closely. There was more than one, from what they could hear.

"Who could it be? Katase's men?" Aya asked, worry in her tone.

"There isn't anywhere to hide. Whoever it is, we'll have to stand our ground," Rei said, keeping a hand on one of his sword's hilts.

They waited silently, anticipating the worst-case scenario. The air around them was tense. Rei didn't know if he could possibly put up a good fight but he sure as hell would protect Aya at all costs. Then, from the bushes, a few unexpectedly familiar faces emerged.

"Rei!" a certain corn-haired tactician cheerfully called out.

"Yu- Yuuya?" Rei spoke, releasing his weapon's handle. "And Commander Yamato, too?" he added, mild shock in his expression. Behind them was a small group of elite soldiers who were also mounted on horses.

"But... how?" Aya asked, surprise more blatant on her face.

"We tailed behind you but made sure not to be too close, in the case that Katase would harm the princess if you weren't alone," the Commander explained.

"You were going so fast, it was actually difficult to keep up," Yuuya huffed, exhausted.

"Sorry we couldn't arrive sooner. Looks like you've been hurt." Yamato observed. The Commander then summoned one of the soldiers from the group to approach him.

"Katase did that, right?" Yuuya asked, concerned about Rei's injury. "We have a small army but we brought the best of the best. Should we storm his estate? Princess, you could lead us there, correct?"

"No," Aya said, shaking her head. "Katase has called a truce. He said he'd also leave Kanazawa in peace. Isn't that good news?"

"What? Really?" Yuuya said with shock.

"That's quite unexpected. Nonetheless, we'll keep up our guard," Yamato said as he also took a sack from the soldier he had just called over. "Here. Medical supplies. We had a feeling it'd be needed. Princess?"

"I'm on it!" Aya said as she dismounted the horse and took the bag of medical supplies from the Commander.

Rei, too, dismounted from the horse (with a bit of help from Yuuya) and was lead to the princess, who was currently sitting under a huge oak tree. She was laying all the supplies out on a clean piece of cloth when Rei reached her. He sat on a patch of grass in front of her and observed the vast branches of the tree overhead. Nearby, Rei could hear the constant babbling of the nearby stream.

"I'll, er, give you two some privacy. Yell if you need anything," Yuuya said.

"Thank you," Aya spoke as she gave a small bow. The tactician then walked away and re-joined Yamato and the rest of the troops.

Aya turned her full attention to her patient before her. She blushed lightly as she stared at the large gash marring Rei's perfectly broad chest, now noticing that he also had smaller scars on his skin. Still, she found him to be quite perfect. Quickly, she shook those distracting thoughts away. She had to concentrate on the task at hand.

"Now, Rei-kun, this may not be the most pleasant experience."

"It's fine. Just do what you have to," he replied straightforwardly. She nodded in affirmation, acknowledging his consent.

"First off, ingest this please," she urged as she presented a large pellet in her palm. "It will be bitter but it will help to fight off infections." Rei nodded and did as he was told, trying not to mind the strong taste of the medicine as it hit his tongue.

Aya then picked up a large piece of cotton from the supplies and lightly soaked it in an anti-microbial fluid. She gingerly dabbed it against the edges of Rei's wound to disinfect the region. Upon the first few seconds of contact with the cloth, Rei could feel a sharp sting.

"Ugh," he grunted as she cleaned the dried blood from the area. By now, the active bleeding had stopped.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as she continued on.

"It's fine, I can handle some gross medicine and a little sting," he replied.

"No, I'm sorry because all of this is my fault. If I hadn't run away from the castle then I wouldn't have gotten taken by Katase. Then you wouldn't have had to come all the way up here to fight. You wouldn't have gotten hurt if I just stayed home..." she said emotionally, her eyes stinging from the tears beginning to form. However, she held back from crying; she had more important matters to focus on at the moment.

"It's not your fault. Besides, it's my duty to protect you."

"My life isn't worth it. I don't want you protecting me if it's going to lead you to getting hurt," she continued to say as she cleaned off the last few red stains on his skin. Rei caught her hand as she was pulling it away from his chest.

"I _want_ to be the one who protects you," he suddenly said, his slate eyes staring intensely into hers.

"Ah," she mouthed, speechless from his statement.

Rei was being unusually bold, she noted. She recalled earlier when he had used the words _"beautiful"_ and _"bright"_ to describe her. She reluctantly pulled her hand away from his hold, suddenly feeling very self-conscious.

"Thank you," she mumbled after a few moments of silence. She was now spreading a thick salve around his wound.

"For what?"

"Back there, with Katase. I know you could have finished him off, I could see it in your eyes; you had him. You held back for my sake... didn't you?" she asked, referring to when Rei held back from delivering a crucial blow with his swords.

"Ah. That was..." he trailed off, not realizing that she'd noticed. "I didn't want you seeing that side of me. The killer."

"To me, Rei-kun, you are fierce, strong, and even a bit cold... but you're also kind," she spoke fondly. "Maybe you don't see it in yourself but I always knew you were kind."

Another few minutes of silence passed as Aya now applied some clean bandages to the wound. Rei admired how careful, yet efficient, her hands were. She was a graceful and sympathetic healer. Her hands were always meant to heal; she was destined to help people like this. As he watched her work, Rei was confident that Aya did absolutely all she could to help his father during his final moments. That thought put him at ease. He thought about how lucky he was to have crossed paths with such a genuine person like Aya.

"Princess— er, Aya," Rei started. "There's something I wanted to say. I was trying to bring it up earlier, actually."

"Ah, that's right. What is it? It seems to be weighing heavy on your mind," she said in a half-distracted tone as she continued with intricately wrapping the bandages.

"Aya," he said, as he lifted his hand and cupped it gently against her cheek. This got her full attention as she felt the slight iciness of his touch. She noticed cool, mercury eyes looking intently at hers and felt intense heat rising to her face.

"R- Rei-kun," she stammered.

"I can't hold back anymore. I wanted to convey to you..." he continued on. He delicately tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear and took a second to admire her simple, yet elegant, beauty. He'd never get tired of her magnificence.

"Hold back? From what?" she asked, eyes blinking with curiosity.

"My feelings for you. I don't care anymore that you're engaged, I just want you to know. Truth is..." he paused as he took in a deep breath, "Aya, I'm in love with you," he admitted, his low voice sincere.

"W... What?" was the only thing that came from her lips.

"When Katase took you, I was so scared," he said with a hint of pain in his voice. He took both of her small, dainty hands in his calloused ones and gave them a slight squeeze. "If anything had happened to you, I wouldn't have forgiven myself. That's when I realized that when I saw you again, I'd have to tell you how I feel, no matter what."

"I- I don't know what to say," she replied, her chestnut eyes wide and her lips slightly agape. _'Rei has feelings for me? He said he's in love with me? Is this a dream? Maybe I'm hallucinating from not eating my meals...'_ she thought inwardly.

"I don't care if that pretty boy prince of yours fights me when we get back," he continued on. "I just needed to be more honest. I wanted you to know."

"Actually, Rei-kun, about the engagement, you see—"

"Princess, your skills have gotten better!" Yamato excitedly said as he strolled over to the two seated in the shaded grass. "Are you about finished with the warlord, now?"

"A- Ah! Thank you, Commander. I, ah, just have to secure the bandages and I'll be all finished," Aya stammered as she was caught off-guard.

"Great, just checking to see if you think you can ride on your own, Rei?" Yamato asked. "We brought a spare horse for the trek home."

"Ah, yes, I think I'll manage," the warlord replied. "Thanks."

The Commander walked away, leaving the two in silence once more. The air felt a bit heavy and awkward, now that Rei had come forward with his feelings. Aya wanted to tell Rei about her true feelings concerning him, as well. She wanted to leap into his arms and profess her love to him. But, now, the timing just didn't feel right.

"Well, I guess you're pretty much all patched up," Aya said as she finished with applying the bandages, ensuring that all the ends were fastened.

Her expression was a bit crestfallen, for she had been hoping to ride together with Rei until they reached Kanazawa. It would likely be a more practical option to have her own horse, however, since the journey home would be a bit long.

"Thank you for everything," he said with gratitude and small half-smile. He didn't know what was in that medicine that he took but he was feeling a bit better. Or, maybe Aya's healing touch was just magic.

Aya rose from the grass first and stretched out her hand to help Rei stand up.

Then, as he was in the process of standing, Aya quickly stole an inconspicuous kiss on the warlord's cheek. He looked at her, his expression mildly taken aback. He definitely was not expecting that kind of action from the princess.

"We can finish this conversation back at the castle, where we can have more privacy," she whispered. Rei noted a scarlet hue on the princess' cheeks and, as usual, found her blushing to be quite charming. She was being uncharacteristically forward at the moment and he appreciated her efforts.

She quickly turned and scurried toward her horse, leaving Rei under the shade of the large oak tree. Rei reached up to touch the cheek which had just been kissed by Aya mere moments ago, feeling the warmth of her lips still lingering on his skin. He smiled softly as he cherished this moment.

No matter what she had to say back at the castle, he would be ready for it. His feelings were out in the open now and he had no regrets. He would follow Hoshino Aya until the end of time.

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter VIII — The Healer — End.**

**Siopao:** I just recently uploaded a new story! It is a short, fluffy Aya/Rei one-shot called _"My Love in a Glass Case"_ if anyone would like to give it a read. It's based on one of the chapters from the new _GALS!_ sequel. :)

Please review this chapter & let me know if you have any specific requests (I may or may not consider working them into this story... I'm open to ideas!).


	9. Stay

**Siopao:** _(6/10/2020) _Hi! Back with a new chapter. I may not be able to update as often from now on, since I'll be starting full-time work again soon. Please continue to support me!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Gals!_

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter IX — Stay**

**By: Screaming Siopao**

The following day, the entire town of Kanazawa was lively and jovial at the return of the princess and the rescue party. The villagers all greeted the princess with praises and their relieved sentiments but Aya did not feel vivacious enough to return their upbeat energy. After traveling through most of the night and only getting a few short hours of rest, the princess, the commander, and the rest of the group were all weary from their travels. What Aya really wanted right now was a warm bath and to bury herself in her soft sheets.

"Oh, thank goodness! Aya!" Miyuu, Ran, and Mami all called out as soon as their friend entered the castle gates. The princess's face perked up as she jumped off of her horse and greeted her friends with a warm embrace.

"Everyone! You're all here!" Aya said, holding her friends tight. "I'm _so_ glad to see you."

"We've been up waiting for you since sunrise. You're a troublesome princess, ya know that?" Ran bantered, ruffling Aya's dark locks.

"Yeah, this bone-headed shrine priestess was pretty much pacing all night, worrying about you," Mami said with a laugh. "Ran was even on her horse, practically ready to join the rescue team. Miyuu had to drag her off the saddle."

"Oh, stop exaggerating! I wasn't _that_ worried..." the copper-haired priestess said as she crossed her arms, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"Still, Aya, we're so glad you weren't hurt by that Katase," Miyuu stated as she held onto her friend's hand. "Commander Yamato had to go to the mountains too... I was so worried about you both."

"We're both fine, Miyuu. I'm so sorry for worrying you all. I won't run off from the castle like that again. It's just... I was so upset, what with my argument with mother and my confrontation with Aki—" Aya froze. She'd have to face Akihito again, now that she was back.

"Don't worry," Mami said, reading Aya's petrified expression. "My big brother went back home to Toyama. He said he needed to, er... _get away._"

"I see," Aya said sadly. She must have really hurt him. It would make sense if he never wanted to see her ever again.

"Ah, there's the warlord and his tactician," Miyuu suddenly spoke as the rest of the cavalry came trotting toward the castle. Aya was the first to arrive since she had rushed ahead of everyone. "And Commander Yamato, too," she coyly swooned.

"Hm? Is that the tactician who is also Otohata's friend? He's kind of cute," Mami pointed out. "I can't believe you didn't introduce me yet, Aya."

"Hey, is that Otohata guy okay?" Ran asked, noticing the warlord's bandaged torso. "Looks like he's the only patched-up one in the whole group."

"Ah! Of course!" Aya exclaimed as she was suddenly reminded of Rei's injuries. She had been so relieved to see her friends after hours of traveling that she almost forgot about properly treating Rei when they returned. "I'm going to go up to my room to get cleaned up. Please tell Rei-kun to wait for me at the infirmary."

"Huh? But—" Mami began, but it was too late. The princess had already scurried off into the castle.

"That princess," Ran huffed, shaking her head.

"Such a whirlwind," Miyuu sighed.

Up in her room, Aya had just finished washing away the past day's dirt, sweat, and dried blood from her skin. She sighed with relief as she finally put on a clean set of robes and felt refreshed once again. She was hastily brushing her damp hair when she noticed a note laying on top of her bed sheets. She picked it up and curiously began to read its contents.

_Aya,_ it said in elegant writing. It was Akihito's penmanship, she immediately noticed.

_I'm hoping you made it back home safely. I also wanted to apologize. I pushed all of my feelings onto you without considering how you felt. _

_I suppose I was just being hopeful. I wanted you to feel the same way, too. I know that isn't fair to you. You can't help who you fall in love with._

_I spoke with your parents and supported the idea of officially calling off the engagement. They were definitely shocked but I think they understand._

_I hope that whoever is lucky enough to find your love will treasure you properly. _

_I will always have love in my heart for you. I'll always be here, waiting, if you ever have a change of heart._

_\- Akihito. _

A single large tear dropped onto the page, smearing a few strokes of ink on the paper. Aya closed the letter and took in a deep breath. Hurting Akihito was never in her intentions but she did not regret calling off the engagement. She was through with feeling trapped in every aspect of her life; she wanted to be true to herself and to her heart.

There was someone else whom her heart was longing for.

_"Truth is... Aya, I'm in love with you."_

She suddenly recalled Rei's words from yesterday. His low, soothing voice echoed in her mind as his confession kept replaying in her thoughts. She felt her heart beating faster as she remembered the feeling of his cool fingers pressed against her blushing cheek.

She left her room, wanting to see Rei as soon as possible. She had not given a proper response yet to his confession. She still needed to convey her own feelings.

She ran down the hall, down a flight of steps, and towards the hospital wing of the castle. She was tired from the lack of sleep and sore from the hours of riding on horseback, but she didn't care about any of that right now. She just wanted to see _his_ face this very instant. Her heart was currently bursting with her emotions and she needed to let all of her feelings out.

"Rei-ku—" she excitedly spoke as she briskly slid the door of the infirmary wide open.

"Ah, Aya," Rei replied blankly as he looked on at the princess. Currently, he was standing directly in front of her, with nothing on but a small towel haphazardly wrapped around his waist.

"Eh?" she stared at Rei, taken aback by his unexpected appearance. His hair was damp, his old bandages had been removed from his torso, his skin was glistening with beads of water, and he smelled faintly of honeysuckle and sage. When it occurred to her that he must have just finished bathing himself, her entire face immediately turned a deep shade of tomato red. "Excuse me! I'm sorry!" she yelped as she hastily shut the door.

"Aya, wait—" Rei said as he opened up the door again a few moments later. To Aya's relief, he had fetched a plain, white satin robe and hastily wrapped it around his body. Still, his chest was a bit exposed since he hadn't tied the robe up in the most graceful manner but she could at least tolerate that much. "Sorry about surprising you like that. I arrived here like your friends instructed and sensei asked me to wash myself using the bathhouse at the back of the infirmary."

"Ah, sensei is here?" she asked. She was so shocked by an almost-naked warlord that she hadn't even noticed anyone else inside the hospital wing.

"Yes, Princess, come inside. Both of you," the castle physician ordered the two youngsters.

"Sensei, have you looked at Rei-kun's injuries?" Aya inquired as she approached her mentor.

"Yes, I have. You did an excellent job with the disinfection and the bandages. I just had this young man clean himself off by soaking in the medicinal herbal bath."

"And? Will it heal properly?" she asked eagerly.

"It will leave a deep scar but, as far as I can tell, he will be alright," her master spoke. She sighed with relief.

"Thank goodness," Aya said, eased by the physician's prognosis.

"What the young warlord needs now is rest and hydration," the old physician said as he got up to exit the room. "I will count on you to take care of him, Princess. Please also reapply some clean bandages."

"Ah, yes, sensei!" Aya said as the elderly man left the infirmary. She then turned to Rei, who was currently sitting on one of the cots. "You hear that? Rest up, now, Rei-kun."

"But I'm not tired," he retaliated almost in a child-like manner. Aya shook her head in disapproval.

"Nonsense. You were barely staying awake on your horse this morning."

"Well, that isn't the case anymore. It must be because you're here," he pointed out.

"Then I'll leave," she spoke, turning her back on Rei. "Sleep tight—"

Her speech was suddenly cut off when Rei held her by the wrist. He gently pulled her back towards him, causing Aya to gracefully fall onto his lap.

"Eh—? Rei-kun," she whispered as he securely held onto her. She looked up at him and noticed that his expression was tender; his slate eyes might have even held a twinge of loneliness in them. _'He doesn't want to be alone...' _she thought.

"You can't leave. Plus, you still have to bandage me up, doc. Big, gaping gash across my chest, remember?" he said with a joking tone in his usually-serious voice. Aya couldn't help but let out a soft laugh. She guessed that even Rei had a humorous side to him.

"Yes, you're right, how could I forget?" she said as she got up to fetch some fresh bandages from the nearest supply closet.

"Not going to make me take that nasty medicine again, are you?" he asked as she returned, laying out her materials on the cot. She pulled up a wooden stool beside his cot and seated herself directly in front of Rei.

"Actually, I am," she said as she presented a large pellet identical to yesterday's in the palm of her hand. Rei groaned but gave in, ingesting the bitter concoction of herbs and God-knows-what with a glass of water.

"So cruel," he muttered as he finished up the medicine, shuddering as the bitter taste lingered on his tongue.

"And, now, please... ah, r-remove your robe," Aya asked, her face blushing once again. "But just the top half!" she clarified as she looked away to the side.

Sure, she was able to remove Rei's clothing herself without a second thought yesterday, since the situation was dire and she needed to act fast. But now, it was just the two of them alone in the infirmary and, not to mention, Rei had just confessed his feelings not even a whole day ago. Naturally, she would feel more self-conscious, now.

Rei silently obeyed, slipping his arms and the rest of his upper body out from the satin robes. Aya shut her eyes tightly, feeling that it was somehow inappropriate to have them open while Rei was undressing. Rei forcibly cleared his throat, getting Aya's attention once more.

"Ah, yes, right," she said as she tried to focus on the task at hand, avoiding eye contact with her current patient.

Again, she was reminded of all the many other scars that marred Rei's body as she looked on at him now. There must have been a story behind each and every marking; so many injuries must have been inflicted on him after all these years of being involved with war. Soon, there would be an additional, much larger scar added to this canvas which was his skin. Still, she didn't consider them as flaws. In her eyes, Rei was perfect.

She took a ceramic bowl filled with a salve, using her index and middle fingers to spread the thick ointment in the area surrounding the wound. Then, just like yesterday, she proceeded with wrapping the clean bandages around Rei's torso, covering up the gash that ranged across the entire left side of his chest all the way up to his left shoulder.

Rei looked on at the compassionate being before him. There wasn't a shred of doubt in his mind that he would do absolutely anything for this person. He'd protect her, fight for her, die for her.

He had already confessed his feelings, despite knowing that Aya was arranged to marry that prince. He knew he could never fill that role, since he was not born into royalty, but it didn't stop him from conveying his genuine emotions. If he had to just watch her from the shadows, he'd be content. As long as he could be near enough to protect her, he would be fine with that.

Still, it hurt a great deal that Aya could not be his. Rei thought life was pretty cruel, bringing a monster like him and an angel like Aya together. How could he ever make her happy? He said it himself yesterday, didn't he? Aya was _bright_— far too bright for someone like him.

_'I can't touch your hair, your skin, your lips... You don't belong to me,'_ he thought dismally as he continued to observe the oblivious princess. _'I want to hold you. I can't stand it.'_

He watched her carefully, admiring the way her gentle healing hands caressed him and how her warm eyes looked at him with kindness. He wasn't just a killer to her; she valued his sorry excuse of a life. He shouldn't want any more from her; he should just feel grateful to be in her presence.

"It seems like you're always patching me up these days," Rei said, breaking the silence in between them.

"I don't mind it. If you need me, I'll always try my best to help. Though, I wish you wouldn't get hurt so often," she replied back as she continued wrapping the bandages with unbroken concentration. She was as efficient as ever.

"Aya, about what I said yesterday," Rei began. He scratched the back of his neck, unsure of how to continue. "I'm sorry if it was out of line. I know you've got that prince guy that you're engaged to and it's really none of my business to—"

"We broke it off." Her words were straightforward and unwavering.

"Eh?" He must have misheard her. _'Did she just say...?'_

"Akihito and I broke off the engagement. Well, actually, I'm the one who brought it up. That's the reason I was running from the castle just before I was taken. So, now, the wedding is off," she calmly explained as she secured the ends of the bandages.

"Ah. I see," he replied. He then properly readjusted his robes to fully cover his torso and arms once again, since Aya had finished with dressing his wound.

"Even though I do feel a bit sad right now, I know this is for the best. For the first time, I stood up for something that _I_ wanted," she continued on. "I never thought I'd ever muster up the courage to do something like that. To defy my parents. To stand up for myself."

"Well, I'm proud of you," he said as he placed a hand on her head. Her heart skipped a beat at his touch. "It must have been hard."

"Rei-kun," she whispered, her chestnut eyes looking down at her lap. She gripped the soft peony pink cloth of her yukata, trying to find the courage to go on. "I wanted to tell you this. That late night... that I came to see you at the guest estate. Do you remember it?"

"Ah, yes. You stayed several hours that night, despite it being so late," he recalled. He remembered as they both spoke about their feelings as the millions of stars and a full moon above accompanied them. He could still remember how the ocean breeze gingerly tousled his hair that night as the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks filled as their soothing and perpetual background music.

"Yeah, I did stay quite late that night, huh?" she giggled. "We were both so sleepy at the next morning's war council."

"Ah, right. You also bandaged me up back then, for the first time. On my cheek," he pointed at the area, which was now fully healed.

"Right. In any case, I'm glad I came out to see you that night. You helped me sort out a lot of things, back then," she spoke, remembering their conversation fondly.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. You made me see that Akihito wasn't the person meant for me, that night. That I had to be brave enough to always be truthful, both to myself and to the people in my life."

"Ah. I see." He looked away. _Where was this going?_ he thought. _Was she regretting her decision to break off the engagement?_

"That was also the night that I fell in love with you," she finally revealed, her gentle eyes now looking directly into his mercury orbs.

"Hm?" was the only sound he was able to make. He didn't know what else to say. He should be happy, right? Ecstatic, even. But what he felt the most at this very instant was an overwhelming sense of relief.

They were silent for a few moments more, and the two simply looked on at one another, their own respective thoughts racing through each of their minds. Aya began feeling a bit nervous when he did not respond with any more words to her confession. Had she shocked him so much? Or maybe he was second-guessing his feelings? Still, despite her lingering doubts, she wanted to continue with conveying her affection.

"Rei-kun, I—"

But Aya didn't get to finish her sentiment, as she suddenly found herself engulfed in Rei's warm and protective embrace.

"Finally," he sighed as he held her tightly. He couldn't hold back any longer.

"E- Eh?" she chirped, taken aback by his sudden action.

"I finally get to hear you say those words to me," he continued. He buried his face in her neck, taking in her sweet sakura scent. He sighed softly as he held onto her small frame; she felt so small and fragile in his arms.

Aya blinked a few times before finally processing what was happening.

_'Rei's arms... they're so warm,'_ she silently thought to herself as she closed her eyes and took in his comfort. She, too, lifted her arms and wrapped them around his body, bringing their bodies closer in proximity. Her small hands rested on his back, clutching the cloth of his yukata. How long had she waited to feel his warmth?

"I was scared," Rei murmured, his face still buried in her silky hair, "that I'd just have to silently watch as you lived your life with a man who wasn't me."

"Oh, Rei-kun. Can't you see?" Aya voiced as she pulled away from his embrace. Rei admired her copper eyes as they glistened with happy tears. "It's only been you who has captured my heart. Since you came to Kanazawa, I couldn't shake my mind from thinking about you each day. My heart would burst with happiness if we had a chance to talk, even for just a moment. Lately, I've been dreading living in this castle but when you showed up... I began looking forward to waking up each day."

"Ah— Aya." Rei was astonished at how open she was being. Aya was much more eloquent with her words than he was, that was for sure.

"I... I've never fallen in love before. I'm sorry it took me this whole time to express my feelings."

"Me, too. I was even bitter because... well, you had that pretty boy prince," Rei mumbled as he looked away. "I held myself back because I didn't even think you would notice someone like me." Aya could sense a hint of jealousy coming from him and smiled fondly. Even a warlord can feel envy too, she supposed.

"All I see is you, Rei-kun," she admitted, a light blush rising on her cheeks. Rei thought that she couldn't possibly be any more perfect. He felt the same way as she did but didn't quite know how to express his affection. He was not as articulate when it came to his feelings. It was even sort of a miracle to him that he was able to vocalize his confession to her at all.

"Is that so?" he asked, taking a long strand of her silky hair in between his fingers. He figured he could at least show his affection with actions. "Tell me more," he said as he gently kissed her dark locks.

"Ah— w- what? Th- That's enough for now!" she stammered nervously, her face and ears completely scarlet by his intimate act. "Besides, sensei said to rest up. I need to take care of you."

"Hn. Fine," he grunted with a small pout as he crossed his arms. Aya mentally scoffed at his subtle display of childish retaliation. "Well, I suppose I'm pretty exhausted."

Rei laid on his back as Aya remained seated on the stool beside his cot. She then gently placed a thin cotton blanket over his body, ensuring he was comfortable.

"Aya?" Rei called out after a few moments of laying down. He had one arm resting over his closed eyes.

"Yes?"

"Is it okay if... I stay in Kanazawa for a while longer?"

"Eh?"

"I want to stay here, by your side. To always protect you," he continued.

"Of course," she approved happily, her expression soft.

"I'm glad. It's kind of nice here..." he quietly whispered, his low voice fading as he succumbed to his exhaustion.

"Rest, now," she gently spoke.

After a few short moments, Rei was completely asleep. She observed the continuous rise and fall of his chest and listened to his steady, deep breaths.

"Stay as long as you'd like," she whispered, careful not to wake this man whom she treasured so much. She looked on at him with complete admiration and brushed away a few strands of hair covering his closed eyes. "Forever, even."

Then, before she knew it, Aya had also yielded to her exhaustion. Still sitting on the stool while her head rested on the cot, Aya closed her weary eyes. She had not intended to sleep there in the infirmary with Rei but she just could not fight the sleepiness any longer. Not to mention, she couldn't bring herself to leave Rei's side.

This was the man whom her heart truly and genuinely longed for—

The man who helped her break free from her insecurities—

The man who helped her to find her wings when all she could do was live each day feeling like a caged bird—

The man who was Princess Aya's cherished first love, warlord Otohata Rei.

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter IX — Stay — End.**

**Siopao:** Please review, loves! ^^ I had some requests/questions in the reviews & unfortunately, I will not include a lemon in this story. I just don't think I ever intended this story to take on adult themes.

Also, if you haven't already, please read & review my most recent one-shot, _"My Love in a Glass Case"_ (it's an Aya/Rei story based on the sequel).

**Unrelated to Aya/Rei:** I'm sure you've all noticed that a certain user has been spamming the GALS! fandom with a bunch of nonsense. I would encourage everyone to please report that user for "abuse." I have already have tried reaching out to FFN support but they have not gotten back to me. To get instructions on how to report a user, scroll down to the very bottom of the page and click the _"Help"_ link. Let's all please try together! Thanks!


	10. Summer Heat

**Siopao:** _(7/10/2020) _Hello! Here's a short update. Sorry it isn't longer, I've had little time and energy since work has started for me again.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Gals!_

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter X — Summer Heat**

**By: Screaming Siopao**

Rei and Yuuya sat on the rugged sand, side by side, looking on at the calming waves washing onto the shore. The afternoon sun scattered its brilliant rays onto the blue water and comfortably warmed the backs of their necks. It was one day after the their return from rescuing Aya from the mountains; the two young men had just received their final briefing and was dismissed from their very last war council by the King himself.

"So, now what?" Yuuya asked as he looked towards his friend. The corn-haired tactician then took a smooth pebble in his hand and threw it across the sand as it plopped into the water.

"What do you mean?" Rei responded, his gaze fixed on the vast ocean before them. The pebble barely even caused a ripple; it seemed so insignificant in the grand scheme of things. The sea was almost mesmerizing to Rei; he wondered if his father was able to appreciate a sight like this during his life, too.

"You heard the King. We've been dismissed from our duties. Since Katase called a truce and even had one of his messengers officially send a formal letter, we have no need to stick around Kanazawa," the tactician reminded the young warlord.

"Hn. I wonder about that."

"Hm? What do you mean? Do you think Katase's truce isn't genuine?"

"No, I have no worries about him," he spoke as he recalled their encounter. "It's just... that statement you just said. That we have 'no more reason to stay here.' I wonder if that's really true," Rei said, his expression calm but also pensive.

"Ah, you mean since you've fallen for the princess, and what-not?" Yuuya teased in a sing-songy tone, poking his childhood friend on the arm.

"Hn. In any case," Rei began, ignoring his friend's typical banter, "we can send our soldiers back home but I'm going to stay in Kanazawa for a while. You can decide on your own what you want to do from here."

"Huh? Really?" he asked, mildly surprised. "Then—"

"Ah, Rei-kun!" a voice suddenly called out. The two young men turned their heads to look at their incoming guest— rather, _guests._

"Ah, Aya," the young warlord mouthed as the princess approached. With her were her three friends: Miyuu, Ran, and Mami.

"Good morning, Princess," Yuuya stood quickly to greet her with a formal bow.

"Ah, no need for the formality, Asou-kun," Aya urged. "We've known each other for a bit now, right? Please, just call me Aya."

"Eh? No way, I couldn't possibly—"

"Please, I insist. Ah, by the way, these are my friends! I don't think I've formally introduced them to you. Well, you two know Miyuu, the daughter of the chatelaine, since you've seen her several times around the castle."

"Hi, again," Miyuu greeted with a cheerful smile and a wave.

"And this is Ran, the town's _miko,_" Aya continued, gesturing to her copper-haired friend.

"Yo!" the shrine priestess exclaimed with a radiant smile and upbeat tone. Rei took note that this friend was quite boisterous compared to the others.

"And, lastly, this is Mami. She's the princess of the next town over," Aya introduced.

"H-Hello, nice to meet you," Mami shyly greeted as she kept her eyes glued onto Yuuya.

The two young men also formally introduced themselves to the group of ladies, since the only ones that Rei and Yuuya had met in the past were Miyuu and, obviously, Aya. Yuuya thought that it was a nice change of pace to meet others around his age, for once. Usually, being a tactician to the warlord, he was always so used to speaking with elders and experienced war leaders. He supposed that since the 'war' between the Katase clan was now called off, it would be okay to do normal things that young adults do. He and Rei would finally have some time to relax, at last.

"We were all wondering if you two would like to join us for a lunch here on the beach," the dark-haired princess spoke. That's when Rei looked down and saw that she, along with Miyuu, were both clutching large, woven baskets. "Miyuu and I prepared some food just after this morning's meeting."

"Ah," Rei voiced out. "You made it?"

"W-Well, I'm not much of a cook but Miyuu is really skilled. She did a lot of it, I just tried my best to help," Aya shyly explained.

"Don't be so modest, Aya," Miyuu interjected. "You did a lot! Also, this was all your idea, after all. Isn't that right?"

"Yeah, didn't you bring up this picnic idea so you could have a lovey-dovey lunch date with your warlord lover boy?" Ran teased, laughing as her mousy friend turned tomato-red.

"R-Ran! Dummy!" Aya shouted as she hit her friend's arm. Rei looked on at the scene with a small entertained smirk.

"We'd love to have lunch with you all. Isn't that right, Rei?" Yuuya cheerfully obliged.

"Hn," he grunted as he looked off to the ocean once again. "Sure."

Ran and Mami unraveled a large blanket that they brought along with them and spread it onto the sandy beach. Aya and Miyuu then began placing the selection of foods at the center of the soft cloth, doing so in an orderly manner and with an attractive presentation. There were larger containers filled with the main contents of the meal and also smaller containers filled with several savory side dishes. They had even prepared a large canister of herbal tea.

"Wow, this is so much," Yuuya spoke in amazement as the girls continued emptying the baskets' contents. "You shouldn't have troubled yourself so much."

"It was no trouble at all," Aya replied happily. "Plus, this is sort of a celebration, right? Since, thanks to you guys, the town is at peace again."

All six of them then knelt down on the blanket and began helping themselves to the vast array of food that Miyuu and Aya had prepared. It was really such a perfect day for a picnic on the beach, since the previous rainy spring days had now passed and all that was left was a bright summer sun.

"Itadakimasu!" Ran shouted hungrily as she was the first to grab some tempura.

"Itadakimasu," everyone repeated after her.

"Ugh, you're such a pig, Kotobuki," Mami complained as she daintily took a bite out of her own riceball.

"Can it, princess!" Ran retaliated as she chomped on more food with no regard for the others.

"You're getting rice all over me!" Mami yelped as Ran kept shoving her. This caused Yuuya to laugh and Mami to blush lightly in embarrassment.

"You two are always like this, settle down," Miyuu tried to calm the two girls down as she ate her own food.

"Miyuu, you took that piece of mochi that I was eyeing! Let me have some!" Ran roared hungrily, attempting to snatch the sticky rice.

"Ah, no! I got this fair and square, Ran! So self-centered!" Miyuu defended as she held her mochi further from the hungry girl. The others simply laughed on at the _miko's_ antics.

"Your friends are... lively," Rei said to Aya. They were quite different from Aya, who was so mild-mannered, Rei noted.

"Hm? Oh, yes. Aren't they great?" she said, giggling at the scene before them. "Even Asou-kun has joined in on their antics, it seems."

"He'll get along with them just fine," Rei said, knowing how childish and idiotic his friend could really be, at times. It was nice seeing him starting to become acquainted with others their age. With all their traveling, it was mostly just the two of them together during the past few years. It felt like a nice change of pace to be in a big, cheerful group like this for once, Rei thought.

The group continued to eat and chat under the bright summer sun, with Rei and Yuuya sharing stories of their travels and Ran continuing on with her ridiculous and rambunctious jokes.

After their meal, both Aya and Miyuu began cleaning up as Ran, Mami, and Yuuya all decided to go into the ocean and began splashing around in the cool, blue water.

"Oi, Rei! You gotta get in here, the water is so refreshing," Yuuya called out as he was kicking around in ankle-deep water.

"Oi, Kotobuki! You got my hair wet, you numb-skull!" Mami shouted as the copper-haired gal erratically ran through the shallow waves.

"Duh! Don't come near the water if you don't want to get a taste of it!" Ran laughed.

"Ah. Maybe in a bit," Rei responded, not really liking the idea of having salt water splashed into his face.

"Aya, I can finish cleaning up if you and Rei want to head into the water to cool off," Miyuu suggested.

"Un, I don't mind it," Aya said, blushing as she peered over at the young warlord. If Rei wanted to stay behind, she would also stay here next to him.

She looked on at him lovingly as he continued to observe the others playing in the water. Currently, Mami was trying to cling onto Yuuya, using him as a shield from Ran's splashes. Aya was glad that all of them could be together like this; weeks had gone by and all they could do recently was sit in on stuffy, serious meetings. It was a nice change of pace for them to all be so carefree for once.

"Ah, Miyuu-chan," a new voice called out as someone else had just stepped onto the beach. "I've finally found you."

"Oh, it's the Commander," Aya spoke as she looked at the newcomer.

"Y-Yamato-san!" Miyuu stammered as her cheeks blushed a light pink. "What are you doing here?"

"I've been, er, looking all over the castle for you. I was— Oh, did you guys have a picnic?" he asked, looking at the sprawled out blanket and the woven baskets on top of it. "Ah, my sister is here, too. No wonder it's so noisy..." he grumbled as a side comment, noticing Ran chaotically splashing about in the ocean not too far off.

"Yes!" Miyuu replied. She then went into one of the baskets, digging out a wrapped bento box. "Actually, there's some food in here. It's not much but..." she coyly spoke as she held out the small box. In reality, Miyuu had especially prepared this box separately from the rest of the food and packed it up for Yamato to eat later on. She was going to head inside and look for him but thought that it would be perfect to give it to him now. His timing couldn't have been more perfect and it was like fate, Miyuu thought.

"Eh, really? It's really okay?" Yamato asked, eyeing the bento.

"Of course! I- I made it for you."

"Well, if it's your cooking, then it must be great, as usual," he said as he approached her and bent down to gladly accept the box.

"Ah, I'm so happy," Miyuu happily swooned as Aya giggled beside her blushing friend.

"Oh, right. The reason I'm here is to walk you back to the castle, Miyuu-chan. Your mother was looking for you and was saying something about tonight's special dinner preparations for the warlord's men," the Commander spoke.

"Ah, thank you! I'll come right away!" she said as she quickly stood up from the blanket. "Sorry, Aya, is it alright to leave the cleaning up to you?"

"Don't be silly," she responded, waving her hands as if shooing Miyuu away. "I've got this. Go!"

Miyuu quickly obeyed and ran up to meet Yamato, standing with her crush side by side. He was so much taller than she was and it made her feel so secure. Then, they began to walk towards the direction of the castle.

_"Kyaa!"_ Miyuu silently mouthed at Aya as she turned around while walking beside Yamato. Aya simply laughed at her ecstatic friend.

"_Ganbatte,_" Aya whispered as she subtly waved a hand.

"So, are they together?" Rei's low voice suddenly spoke.

"Ah!" Aya had almost forgotten that Rei was sitting beside her on the blanket. Being alone with him suddenly made her a bit self-conscious. "N-Not officially... but wouldn't they be so cute?" she asked happily, her cheeks turning pink.

"Hn," Rei simply grunted. It was his signature response, she noted. He wasn't much of a talker but that was okay with her. She was happy by just simply being near him.

"So I guess there's some farewell dinner for you all tonight," Aya spoke, referring to what Yamato had just said. "Father was talking about it earlier during the meeting, too... Seems like you're all getting the proper send-off."

"Hm? Didn't I tell you that I wanted to stay a while longer?" he said, noticing the disappointed tone in her voice.

"Ah... really? You meant it?" she asked, her eyes lighting up.

"Of course I did. Besides, I can't leave you alone. I need to protect you, right?" he said. _'I also need to be near you so that pretty boy prince doesn't return and sweep you off your feet,'_ he inwardly thought.

She blushed at his statement and tried to keep her composure, even though her heart was threatening to burst through her chest at the moment. Hearing Rei say such sweet sentiments was enough to make her go crazy. Everything after their mutual confessions felt like a dream.

Aya continued with putting the used containers away into the baskets as the rest of the group continued with splashing about in the water. She then reached for a small bowl in front of Rei at the same exact moment that he was going to pick it up. Their fingers quickly brushed against one another's, causing Aya to flinch.

"Ah, s-sorry," she apologized, pulling her hand away.

"It's fine," he said, looking at her small, slender hand. She was so timid around him, especially since after their confession. She liked him too, right? Why did she seem so scared of him, now?

"I'll make sure you to put the rest of the bowls away, you don't have to—"

"Aya," he suddenly said her name and held onto her hand. "Are you nervous?"

"Hm? A- Ah," she stammered, looking away from his dark eyes. "I, well, I suppose I am just a bit. I- I've never fallen in love before. I suppose I... I'm not quite sure how to act around you."

"Just be yourself," he spoke coolly. "You don't need to do anything special."

"Ah... un," she nodded, her cheeks now scarlet.

"It's only me. Just relax, okay?" he said, his face just inches away from hers. She silently nodded but wondered how she could possibly relax when he was so close to her? Could he hear how hard her heart was beating? She still felt the cool touch of his large hand surrounding hers.

"Also, Rei-kun, I wanted to ask you... Are you feeling okay? Your chest, I mean?" she asked timidly.

"Yes, thanks to you."

"I'm glad. We should change your bandages daily, you know. You should come by the infirmary again after your bath tonight," she suggested.

"Oh? You're not going to faint if you see me shirtless again, are you?" he teased, referring to the last time.

"E- Eh? No—!" she shouted a little louder than she would have liked.

"You're getting worked up," he whispered, his lips just beside her ear.

"Rei-kun... You're teasing me, aren't you?"

"Hn. Because your expression is cute," he spoke, admiring her blush.

"Mou, Rei-kun," she pouted. He chuckled softly as he brushed his cool fingers against her warm, reddened cheeks. The contrast made Aya flinch, a bit.

"I don't think I'll tire of teasing you." He said it with the intention to tease her but he also meant it in a fond way.

"That can't be good for my heart," Aya whispered, her face flushed from both the heat and from hearing Rei's words.

"I promise not to overdo it," he whispered back, his face growing nearer to hers.

"Rei-kun..." she mouthed as his lips got closer. "I—"

"Oi, look who it is. I can't believe I actually tracked you down," a high-pitched female voice said as a newcomer stepped onto the beach.

"Hm?" Aya chirped, her eyes peering at the girl standing near-by. Rei turned his head, annoyed that his peaceful moment with Aya was just interrupted.

"Oi, who do you think you are—" he spoke as he, too, looked at the unwanted guest. It took Rei's eyes a moment to adjust on her figure but once she came into focus, a feeling of utter dread washed over him. "You..."

"Surprised to see me?" she said with a flirtatious and mischievous tone.

"Oh? Rei-kun, is she your friend?" Aya innocently asked as she looked at the girl before them. She was about Aya's height, had long, wavy honey-brown hair, and had sparkling hazel eyes. She was quite beautiful, Aya thought.

"Ah, she doesn't know? Why, I'm quite offended," the girl laughed cutely as she flipped her long, wavy tresses. "My name is Himeko and I'm Rei's fiancée."

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter X — Summer Heat — End.**

**Siopao:** Hi all! Thanks for reading! Please kindly leave a review, if you have the time. Someone suggested that Rei's ex pop up and I thought it was a good idea. :) So thanks for the idea, FacialScrub! I'm open to other suggestions as well, if anyone has requests (though I already kind of know where I'm headed with this story).

Also, I'm sure a few of you already know about this but don't read the next few sentences if you don't want any Aya/Rei spoilers (from the manga sequel)!

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Aya and Rei FINALLY KISSED! Aahh! I can't believe it! And Mihona-sensei did it so perfectly. These two have just grown SO much in the chapters of the sequel and I just cannot be any happier and more proud of those two. I just wanted to geek out over it a little, even though the chapter was posted a few weeks ago already. It's just that no one I know really follows the series so I knew you all would appreciate it like me. I'm still freaking out about it! I can't wait until Volume 2 of the manga is released in August 2020! :)


	11. Fated

**Siopao:** _(8/16/2020) _Hello, thanks for the reviews last chapter! You guys keep me going. Sorry for the wait, work has really been killing me.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Gals!_

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter XI — Fated **

**By: Screaming Siopao**

"F-Fiancée?" Aya repeated after the girl who had just spontaneously showed up at the beach, ruining the peaceful atmosphere. Aya's heart dropped for a quick moment but she tried to recover from it. Surely, there was a misunderstanding, right? Rei would definitely clear this up.

"Yup! Surprised?" the girl asked with a sly smirk, obviously quite prideful with her words and flamboyant in the way she presented herself. She did another flip of her long, honey-brown hair. "My name is Himeko, the one destined to marry Otohata Rei," she said with a mischievous laugh.

"No," Rei spoke firmly as he stood up from the blanket, putting himself between Aya and the newcomer, as if trying to protect the princess. "Aya, don't listen to her. She's lying."

"Aw, Rei, don't be so cold," she pouted as she took a step forward. Himeko's large, hazel eyes twinkled with the summer sun. "I see you haven't changed a bit."

"You aren't welcomed here," he spat. Aya could sense the animosity in his voice.

"Ah, is that so? Is she your new girl?" Himeko asked, gesturing to Aya, who was still seated on the blanket-covered sand. "How hurtful. You got over me so quickly," she pouted.

Over in the water, Ran was animatedly splashing around in the waves while Mami was trying to peacefully collect sea shells. That's when Yuuya looked up towards the sand and noticed the newcomer himself. His eyes widened with mild shock at the familiar face.

"Ah, this can't be good," Yuuya spoke aloud while furrowing his eyebrows.

"Hm? What's wrong?" Mami asked, taking note of Yuuya's change in demeanor and body language. She noticed that he looked quite tense.

"Someone troublesome just arrived," he replied, his tone low and serious.

"Oh? Is it that girl? I just noticed her, too," Ran stated, discontinuing her water rampage. She peered over towards the sand and eyed the newcomer, who was currently speaking with Rei.

"Who is it, Yuuya-kun?" Mami asked, curious.

"Well, simply put... she's technically Rei's ex," Yuuya straightforwardly stated.

"What!?" Ran yelled. "Why's she here? You said she was troublesome? She better not be messin' with Aya!"

"Ran, calm down," her princess companion spoke. "True, things with Aya and Otohata seem to be turning out well and they're finally able to be true to their feelings... But this other girl might not have malicious intentions, you know."

"I'm not sure why she's here but she definitely is _not_ a nice person. Himeko is the daughter of a warlord from another region," Yuuya spoke seriously, "Last summer, we met her on our travels but initially had no clue about her family background. She took an immediate liking to Rei and they became pretty close. At one point, she even said she wanted to _marry_ him."

"Whoa, so they must really have been serious, huh..." Mami spoke.

"Turns out," Yuuya continued, "she only used Rei to get close to Warlord Gin and even tried to take him down. Snuck into our quarters with an knife and, well... let's just say stealth isn't her strong suit. Obviously, she didn't succeed with her plan but her betrayal hurt Rei a lot, even though he never said it aloud. He shut down for a while."

"W-Wow..." Ran spoke, shock on her face. "There must have been some rivalry. That girl is pretty cold-blooded."

"She's so pretty, too. Shame that her beauty doesn't exist both inside and out," Mami judged.

"We should head over there to make sure she isn't instigating problems," Ran said as she began running out of the cool water. Mami quickly followed after the shrine priestess.

"Ah, wait—" Yuuya spoke and then immediately sighed. "Girls are really passionate, huh?" he said to himself as he also followed behind the two.

"Aya, are you alright?" Ran asked as she and Mami approached the picnic blanket in no time. Yuuya arrived shortly after and gave Himeko an inconspicuous dirty look.

"Ah.. un," Aya said with a nod as her friends walked up to her.

"Here to cause problems for us again, Himeko?" Yuuya spoke with slight disdain.

"Yuuya-kun! Good to see you again," the newcomer said cheerfully as she greeted the tactician. "Why so grumpy? Not happy to see an old friend?"

"I wouldn't quite consider you a friend, after what you did to us," the corn-haired boy said as he took his place beside the young warlord. "To _Rei_."

"What's this hostility I sense? I come with good intentions, I promise," Himeko stated, putting her arms up defensively.

"Why even bother to track me down at all?" Rei asked coldly.

"Listen, I heard about your father. I'm just here to say my condolences," she said sympathetically. "Really, that's it. Also, I wanted to talk to you, Rei... in private, if possible," she added as she looked around at all the people gathered around her.

"If you think you can just come here and—" Yuuya started to say but was cut off.

"It's fine," Rei interjected. "I want to hear what she has to say."

"Will it be okay, Aya?" Mami whispered to her friend as the girls were further off to the side.

"Yeah, that Yuuya guy says that girl is nasty," Ran added, cracking her knuckles.

"Ah... well, I- I can't do anything about it. If she wants to speak with Rei-kun privately then—"

"He's, like, your boyfriend now, right? You can certainly ask him not to entertain her," Mami spoke heatedly.

"B- Boyfriend?" Aya stammered as her eyes went blank and her face reddened with embarrassment.

"Ah, geez, look what you did to her, she froze up," Ran muttered, shaking the now spaced-out princess to bring her back to her senses. "In any case, Aya, you have to trust Otohata no matter what, right?"

"Yes, I want to be able to trust him," Aya said wistfully as she looked on at Rei and Himeko walking further away from the group towards a more private area.

Watching him walking beside her made her feel a bit uneasy and, admittedly, quite envious as well. After all, Himeko was such a beautiful girl and was obviously much more confident than she was. However, Aya knew she had no right to prevent Rei from speaking to anyone— even if she _was_ his ex-fiancee.

'_I definitely trust Rei-kun. I want to be able to trust him with all my heart,'_ she thought as she watched him fro a distance.

Rei walked beside Himeko on the sandy beach, distancing themselves further from the others so that they could hold their private conversation.

"So why are you really here?" Rei asked defensively.

"Really? You actually don't believe the fact that I'm here to say my condolences? I'm hurt that you'd even think that I had ulterior motives."

"Why should I believe anything you say? You sure had your ulterior motives last summer."

"Listen, I know what I did was rotten. I regret what I did to you but what choice did I have, Rei? I had orders from my father," she explained, referring to her previously befriending Rei and her imminent betrayal.

"You had orders to try and seduce me so that you could take my father down?" Rei spat. "Well, he's dead now, so you and your father got what you wanted."

"Rei, that isn't what I wanted. I didn't want to betray you like that," she confessed. "So when the plan failed that night... I was kind of glad. I didn't want to hurt your father. I... I didn't want to hurt you. I'm so sorry, I truly am."

"A bit late for apologies isn't it? A year late, to be exact."

"Well you're not necessarily an easy guy to track. I caught wind of news that you had a run-in with Katase, though."

"Ah, you must be well-acquainted with him, too, since you both had the same goals of assassinating my father. He was a bit more successful than you, however," Rei said bitterly.

"Rei, how many times do I have to say that I was just following orders? You know my father, he's ruthlessly cruel if you go against him. You can insult me or scold me all you want. But, please, don't hate me," she pleaded.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Ah, w-well... because," she stammered, suddenly fidgety and nervous. "Because I've fallen for you, Rei. For real, I really have."

"What?" Rei spat, stopping in his tracks.

"I've fallen in love with you. There hasn't been a single day since you left that I haven't thought about you."

"Well, forget about me. You don't have a chance in hell."

"Why? Is it because of that girl? That princess you were with earlier?"

"Don't you even _dare_ talk about Aya," he spoke lowly.

"Rei, she's a _princess_ and you're a warlord. She's destined to marry into a royal bloodline, or did you forget that little detail? You two aren't meant to be."

"I don't care. I'm staying with her, whether she needs me around or not. I'm always going to protect her," he said, looking back at Aya as she sat with the rest of the group a few meters away.

"Please, let us start over. I promise, you won't regret it," Himeko pleaded as she clung onto the sleeve of his dark robes.

"I already _have_ regretted meeting you," Rei grunted as he shook his arm free from her hold. "Several times over, by this point."

"Ah, Rei..." she muttered as he began walking away from her.

"I'm loyal to Aya. I will be until I die. There's nothing you can do or say to change my mind," he said as she watched his retreating back. "I'm over you and over what happened between us. Leave this town and never look for me again."

Himeko looked on at Rei, feeling a bitter sadness enveloping her heart. In the end, this is what she deserved, right? She broke his heart once and now it was his turn to return the act. It was worth a shot, she thought, since she was able to see him one final time.

"I guess this is really goodbye, Otohata Rei..." she whispered in the summer breeze as she watched Rei drawing further and further away from where she stood. "May that girl cherish you like I never did."

Rei returned back to where Aya was situated, finding her to be sitting all alone on the sand.

"Where's Yuuya and the rest of them?" he asked as he approached her. She was so focused on the sea that she did not even notice his arrival right away.

"Ah, Rei-kun. Back so soon?" she asked with a small smile.

"Un. You're alone?"

"Yes, Ran and Mami when back to the castle to return the picnic supplies and Yuuya tagged along with them, which was kind of him. I think Mami has taken quite a liking to him," she giggled cutely.

"That'll be good for him," Rei said as he squatted down to also take a seat on the sand beside her.

"You've already finished catching up with your friend?" Aya asked as she looked around, noticing Rei came back by himself. "Where did she go?"

"Trust me, she isn't a friend. She's... someone who hurt me in the past," he explained vaguely with a strained expression painted on his face. Aya was able to understand, despite his few words.

"Rei-kun," she whispered as she spontaneously leaned her head on his shoulder, catching him off-guard. "We don't have to talk about it anymore."

"Aya..." he said softly as he looked at her. She was so warm as she leaned onto him. The wind carried over her feminine, floral scent, enticing his senses.

"Just know that I... would never hurt you," she shyly spoke as her face turned pink. She tried to hide her embarrassed face from him by tilting her head down.

"I know," he responded as he closed his eyes.

Hearing reassuring words from Aya really made him feel at ease, especially since Himeko's arrival really offset his mood. He appreciated Aya's efforts to lighten his mood and smiled softly to himself, in spite of him. He was relieved that she was still leaning her head on his shoulder so that she would not be able to see his uncharacteristic expression.

Rei stole a glance at Aya and noticed that her curious eyes went back to focus on the shimmering sea. In his heart, he swore his undying loyalty to her and her alone. No one else would be able to separate them again; he did not care that he was not of royal blood. He would find a way to be with her forever.

"Should we get going? The rest must be wondering where we are," she asked as she stood up, dusting the sand off of her robes. She offered her hand to him as he was still seated on the ground.

"Yeah," he agreed as he took her small hand in his. Somehow, at this moment, he felt as if their bond had been unexpectedly strengthened. As they walked hand-in-hand towards the castle, Rei felt as if they could take on anything that this world threw at them.

**o0o0o0o**

Later that night was the farewell dinner for the Otohata clan and his men. The king had prepared a feast for the warlord and all the soldiers, only providing the finest food and drink that the village had to offer. The king himself also delivered a very moving speech to honor Rei and the passing of his father.

"Rei, your father was a dear, old friend of mine," the king continued as he prepared to wrap up his speech. "He was a man of valor and honor. He symbolized true strength and no one in the land dared to challenge him. I see a lot of him in you; you have great potential. You walk very closely in his footsteps and I know he would be proud. Thank you for all that you have done for this village and for this family."

All in the room raised a glass to give a toast the king's moving speech.

"And, in return for your loyalty and devotion, I present you and your vassal with blades forged from our finest sword makers," the king continued on as he presented shimmering double blades to Rei and a long katana to Yuuya.

"Wha..." Yuuya uttered, in shock at the unexpected gift.

"Thank you, your majesty," Rei spoke as he accepted the twin swords with a low bow.

"This is truly an honor! Thank you," Yuuya also expressed his gratitude as he handled his sword.

"Only the citizens of Kanazawa are able to wield the strongest forms of jewel steel due to our well-protected methods of forging the precious metals. Please treasure these gifts and hone your skills, just as your father did," the king said with a smile.

"Yes, your majesty," Rei replied.

"With that, let's all continue our celebration!" the king announced jovially. The room commenced with its upbeat celebrations and feasting.

"Congratulations on earning your swords," Aya said as she approached Rei's seat. She was to be seated by her father and mother up until this point so this was their first time speaking throughout the whole evening.

"Oh, thanks," Rei timidly spoke as he scratched the back of his head. He wasn't really used at being at the center of attention like that.

"Father only awards the truly loyal and worthy with our town's hand-crafted weapons. You must have really proven yourself to him."

"Ah, well, I'm just doing what's needed of me." He'd save Aya a thousand times if he had to. Not that he wanted her to be in danger anymore, though.

"You're being too humble. This entire celebration is for you, after all."

"Can't say I could have done it alone. I have everyone else. I have you," he said as he looked into her eyes.

"Ah, u- un," she stammered as she blushed a light shade of pink. Typical, Rei thought with a smirk.

"Still up for changing my bandages tonight?" he asked, further stirring her up.

"O- Of course! Anytime!" she stammered as her cheeks turned one shade darker.

The night continued on with lively banter, story-telling, and laughter as the feast ran into the late hours of the night. It was a celebration of new friendships, new romances, and of life itself.

In the midst of the party and all the commotion, Rei couldn't help but to take a moment and be thankful for everything and everyone in his life. Sure, he had definitely experienced his share of hurt up until now, but he believed in a greater plan. Things that have happened did not occur in vain; after all, he was able to unexpectedly meet Aya despite all the turmoil in his life.

In the most unlikely instances, in the midst of violence and war, a true love was formed. He was fated to be here and to be beside Aya for the rest of his days and, in his mind, he had no doubt about it.

**Reflection Eternal: A Feudal Era Romance**

**Chapter XI — Fated — End.**

**Siopao:** Please review, loves! ^^


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